To advance knowledge of artificial surfaces, World Rugby will support research initiatives
World Rugby will support research initiatives. In order to increase knowledge on the effects of using artificial surfaces at all levels of the sport, World Rugby is inviting proposals for research grants.
To further the wealth of knowledge about artificial surfaces, the worldwide federation calls for research applications. The new funds will concentrate on the well-being of the players, particularly the effects of using various surfaces during the season and footwear. The social and economic effects of utilizing artificial surfaces for rugby will also be examined by World Rugby.
Pic Source- https://www.world.rugby/news/122987
In order to increase knowledge on the effects of using artificial surfaces at all levels of the sport, World Rugby is inviting proposals for research grants. Rugby is more accessible on a global scale because of artificial surfaces, which are a component of both the elite and community games and are produced and tested to exacting standards.
The new research budget will allow the global federation to concentrate on three more crucial areas:
- The effects of playing on a variety of artificial and natural surfaces over the course of a season on players
- How shoes, such as boots, behave on artificial surfaces
- The effects of artificial turf use in rugby on the economy and society under World Rugby’s criteria
There are currently studies on artificial grass being supported by World Rugby in addition to this new research grant. Research towards more effective tests for preventing skin abrasions was commissioned by World Rugby in 2020 in collaboration with the University of Cardiff and Sports Labs. Later this year, the research’s findings are anticipated to be released.
The World Rugby regulations already demand that artificial surfaces meet some of the highest criteria in international sports and that rugby-specific fields be used. The international federation already maintains close ties with member unions, player’s associations, accredited test institutes (ATIs), preferred turf producers (PTPs), and accredited test institutes to make sure that playing on artificial surfaces carries no added risk over a match played on real grass.
In order to make rugby the most forward-thinking sport in the world in terms of player welfare, World Rugby has created a new research fund to help implement its six-point strategy. One of the main tenets of that strategy is innovation, driven by science and research, with the outcomes of successful research applications driving future advancements in player welfare in sports.
The welfare of players will always be World Rugby’s top priority, and we never stand still in this area, stated Marc Douglas, Manager of World Rugby Game Research and Development. This is applicable to all aspects of rugby, including our work on synthetic pitches.
‘With the help of this research funding, we hope to gain a better understanding of how to assist players as they play on a variety of surfaces throughout the course of the season and how the right footwear can help prevent injuries. As for rugby’s global expansion, we already know that artificial surfaces will be crucial. We want to know how World Rugby can make sure that its rules make artificial surfaces just as safe as grass while also not creating insurmountable obstacles for the nations across the world that depend on artificial turf to expand the game.’