Sports scientist Dr Ross Tucker provides insight into when the risk of head injuries is highest and how World Rugby is using red and yellow cards to nudge players towards safety.

Rugby and HIA risk (thread):
Ahead of a big rugby weekend, thought I’d offer a little insight into when the risk of head injuries is highest, and how World Rugby has tried to nudge behaviour towards safety (the Red and Yellow cards you see, that is). So here’s a little tutorial!

— Ross Tucker (@Scienceofsport) July 15, 2022

Here’s another slide (fewer words) that illustrates that, shows the spectrum of risk idea, and also introduces the idea of modifying a behaviour to lower overall risk. This concept underpins what happens next, which is the data part of the process. (3/ pic.twitter.com/oUZhtfFtmL

— Ross Tucker (@Scienceofsport) July 15, 2022

Or to force it down. Why? Because we know that relatively speaking, risk is lower when lower! Not zero, but lower, so a SUBSTITUTION strategy says we want heads near hips, not near heads and shoulders. We can identify three risk zones for head proximity – red, orange, & green. pic.twitter.com/IuNVnb6XKt

— Ross Tucker (@Scienceofsport) July 15, 2022

I think the game CAN be played lower, & that it would eliminate many of the “accidental” high tackles we currently see. The point being that risk is, to some degree, created by mindset. Law could change that, but it’s a drastic change, which is why the “nudge” approach was used

— Ross Tucker (@Scienceofsport) July 15, 2022

Or, do you think about it for a split second (that’s all it takes!) & recognize that literally billions of selfies are taken, but only a small % of people are exposed to sharks every year? So the EXPOSURE to risk is crucial. That’s why when we look at risk, we have “controls” pic.twitter.com/hrKoUKxttV

— Ross Tucker (@Scienceofsport) July 15, 2022

I’ve somehow messed up the linking of tweets in this thread, my bad. This is the one that should’ve come next, and finishes the story: https://t.co/XyA1MS6Dtf

— Ross Tucker (@Scienceofsport) July 15, 2022

Read the full thread here

Photo: Phil Walter/Getty Images