Rugby safety clinics now mandatory for high school coaches on P.E.I.

Training sessions called "safe rugby clinics" are now mandatory for all P.E.I high school rugby coaches — with the aim of preventing head injuries.

The clinics have been offered in the past, but are now required annually.

The clinics teach coaches safe tackling and falling methods so they'll pass them on to their players. This year the clinics will specifically focus on avoiding head contact.

"We wanted our coaches to be teaching players not to target the head in any way, whether you're on offence or defence," said Ryan Lloyd, commissioner of high school rugby on P.E.I. and secretary for the P.E.I. Rugby Union.

Lloyd said there has always been a rule in place against hits to the head. He explained hits above the shoulders are illegal and penalized, but there's been added emphasis on the issue lately.

Along with other senior coaches and officials, Lloyd is providing the training to ensure the same tackling techniques are taught Island-wide. "Teaching them the right way to do it and where to aim with the body," said Lloyd.

'Two players playing the right way'

Changing the training focus and making it mandatory comes after the death of a high school rugby player in 2018. Montague student Brodie McCarthy died from a head injury suffered during a school rugby tournament. However, Lloyd said the new focus is not directly related to the death.

A review by the Department of Education, P.E.I.'s Public Schools Branch and the P.E.I. School Athletic Association found no fault in the death.

The incident was described at the time as a normal rugby play.

"Two players playing the right way but got stuck in the wrong position," said Lloyd, who was the referee of that game.

There's nothing happening in rugby that is more dangerous than you could see in other sports.— Ryan Lloyd

Following McCarthy's death, Lloyd said the rugby union received many calls from concerned parents wondering whether the sport is safe for their children to play. 

"What we said is that it's a sport where there is an element of risk, as there is with any contact sport," said Lloyd. "But there's nothing happening in rugby that is more dangerous than you could see in other sports."

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