Head Injury & Head Contact Process

The Head Injury Assessment protocol which operates in the professional game does not apply to the community game.

Therefore, any player who suffers a head injury and/or shows signs of concussion must be removed from the field of play and cannot return.

The Laws of the game entitle the referee to decide that a player does not appear to be fit to continue and therefore to require their removal.

You must exercise this power carefully in the interests of player safety.

As of March 2023, World Rugby guidance on managing the Head Contact Process is outlined in the following PDF: https://resources.world.rugby/worldrugby/document/2023/03/22/932e873f-afc4-4fcc-a769-bae0ac660689/2303_Head_Contact_Process_EN.pdf