Rugby is an extremely popular sport in SA and growing. It attracts large numbers
of players of all ages, genders and skill levels. The growth of the sport and the
physical nature of the game lend itself to sporting injuries. Knowing this, several
commercial companies are involved in the design and production of a wide variety
of protective equipment and clothing specific to rugby. Most of these items are
widely available in local sports stores. Despite the commercial claims of many of
these manufacturers much controversy remains regarding the effectiveness of protective
equipment. With numerous scientific studies on this topic, there is very little
scientific evidence supporting the claims of many of the products commercially available.
In this section, BokSmart provides practical guidelines regarding the most effective
forms of protective equipment in rugby union such as head gear, mouth guards, shoulder
pads, compression garments, and also provides the scientific evidence that supports
or negates their effectiveness in preventing injury.