“PLAYER safety remains a central priority for the sport, and 2025 has seen continued progress in implementing the recommendations of the Brain Health Committee.”
That was the message from the Rugby Football League in the recent ‘More than a Sport’ report on the grassroots game.
The RFL stated: “The focus this year (2025) has been on embedding safer practices, reducing over-competitive competition framework and supporting coaches, players and volunteers to understand and adopt behaviours that reduce risk.
“This work is fundamental to ensuring Rugby League remains a safe, sustainable, and development-focused sport for all ages.”
The governing body’s insistence on a non-contact off-season, which was introduced in 2024, “continued into its second year with minimal disruption to clubs. Compliance remains strong, and monitoring will continue into 2026 to ensure the intended welfare benefits are realised”.
Meanwhile, the RFL will continue to strive to “ensure all participants experience safe, age-appropriate playing environments supported by clear guidance and consistent implementation”, including “reducing concussion and sub-concussive exposure, mitigating insurance pressures and proactively adapting to emerging evidence.”
While “providing education, resources, and clarity to help deliver safer training and matchday environments” for coaches and volunteers, the RFL, through the Brain Health Committee, aim to reduce concussion rates by 30 percent over five years, where measurable, and also reduce sub-concussive exposure by 30 percent over five years, in addition to addressing “modifiable concussion risks in areas where rates cannot yet be measured”.
The RFL continued: “A further phase of policy implementation has taken place this year, building on the 44 policy changes introduced in 2024.
“Key developments include: continued refinement of tackle height guidance across age groups, supporting safer contact and reducing head-on-head collisions, strengthened sanctioning frameworks to discourage behaviours associated with increased risk aligned with the wider behaviour improvement agenda, ongoing delivery of coaching education to reduce high risk contact situations, with a continued focus on technique, decision making, and safe practice and expanded education for players, coaches, match officials and parents, ensuring consistent understanding of symptoms, reporting and return-to-play protocols.
“Work has continued with leagues and Competition Management Groups to refine the playing calendar… ensuring a balanced mix of competitive and development-focused opportunities (with) appropriate rest periods, alignment with favourable weather windows (and) reduced fixture congestion.
“These refinements support both player safety and the broader aims of the sport. The National Community Rugby League framework will play a central role in embedding these welfare improvements.
“Although 2025 has required additional preparation and alignment work, the move to a unified national governance model will ultimately simplify delivery for clubs and volunteers.
“The NCRL ensures that brain health measures, tackle-height guidance and season-planning principles are applied consistently across all regions, reducing administrative burden in the long term and strengthening the sport’s ability to deliver safe, age-appropriate environments.”
The RFL concluded: “The introduction of Tag for under six and under seven players has continued to bed in successfully, providing a safer, development-appropriate entry point to the sport.
“This approach supports skill development, confidence and enjoyment while reducing early exposure to contact.
“From 2026, this model will be extended to under eights, further strengthening the sport’s commitment to age-appropriate progression and long-term player safety and development.”