- Activate is a proven injury-prevention rugby warm-up programme
- Used regularly, Activate can reduce soft tissue injuries by between 26 and 40 per cent
- It can also reduce concussion risk by 29 and 60 per cent in youth and adult rugby players
- It is beneficial for both the elite and community game
- Elements can be practiced at home to prepare for rugby’s return
World Rugby is calling on the global rugby family to ‘Activate’ at home and get ready for rugby’s restart as the world prepares to return from the COVD-19 lockdown.The game-changing programme has compelling injury-prevention benefits for both the community and elite levels according to research undertaken by the RFU and the University of Bath.Used regularly in preparation to train and play, Activate can reduce the risk of soft-tissue injuries by 26 and 40 per cent and concussion risk by 29 and 60 per cent in youth and adult rugby players respectively.Activate is proving a hit around the world with community and professional teams alike introducing Activate into their training programmes and courses run in more than 100 countries.With rugby and society in lockdown, World Rugby encourages players and match officials to run Activate safely at home to maintain general rugby conditioning and prevent injuries when returning to play. In Samoa, Activate is broadcast live on national TV every Monday and Tuesday during the lockdown to help population stay active.Activate is a cornerstone of rugby preparation across the globe and since its launch in September 2019, almost 400 coaches have attended face-to-face courses delivered by licenced Trainers and Educators across the world. The objective being to build delivery and education capacity within the sport’ global community coaching network.The programme, which is available in 11 languages, has been accessed online by more than 5,000 coaches where supportive educational materials, including video and cue cards can be accessed to guide implementation for everyone in the game.World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “As the game’s global governing body, we have made strong progress in ensuring that the game is as simple, safe and enjoyable to play as possible for all through an evidence-based approach to education, management and prevention.“Activate is a cornerstone of our prevention strategy with proven benefits. It is accessible to all via our digital platforms, simple to implement and should be adopted by everyone in the game.”Since the programme's global launch in September 2019, feedback from participants and coaches from across the game has been overwhelmingly positive.Several elite teams including the Fiji women’s sevens team are regularly using the programme, which bring additional performance benefits by keeping players fit for longer and therefore preventing injuries that could rule them out of selection.Continued research undertaken by World Rugby in partnership with unions will provide a truly global picture of Activate’s impact across the game.Activate is part of World Rugby’s holistic evidence-based approach to injury prevention that includes education at all levels (Tackle Ready, Activate, concussion app), law trials in domestic competitions and law application guidelines to change risky behaviours (High Tackle Sanction Framework, breakdown).To access World Rugby’s Activate Programme, please visit https://iris.world.rugby/coaching/activate-injury-prevention-exercise-programme.
