​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The Foundation isn’t just the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff. We provide research grants to leading-edge research into injury prevention and also promote for safe play for all New Zealand rugby players.

We champion safety in the game we love, so when a player even steps on to a pitch, we know that they will be playing and refereed in a way that ensures safety and is backed by peer reviewed and published research.

We partner with education institutions (Auckland University and AUT) on ground-breaking research to enable better concussion management and support New Zealand Rugby and ACC, to encourage fewer rugby injuries through prevention, awareness and education.

Rugby Smart

​​​​​​​The NZ Rugby Foundation works very closely with NZR and ACC to keep players safe in rugby.
RugbySmart was developed by NZR and ACC in 2000 to reduce the incidence and severity of injuries sustained while playing and training for rugby.

 RugbySmart is a world-leading programme and since its launch, and has been adopted by many other national bodies. There have been significant drops in rugby-related injury claims.

Over the last 20+ years this partnership has worked towards ensuring every rugby player is safe, healthy, and active. Injury prevention initiatives within this programme include (but are not limited to):

• RugbySmart for Coaches: All coaches in New Zealand who coach above U13 are required to attend a RugbySmart course annually.
• RugbySmart for Referees: All referees in New Zealand are required to attend a RugbySmart course annually.
• Small Blacks: Coaches of U13 players must attend an annual Small Blacks Coaching course which is tailored to cover safety requirements at each level of development.
• Concussion management and processes: NZR has world-leading research that guides our management of suspected concussions to reduce the incidence and impact of suspected head injuries.
• Resources and education to support safety and welfare on and off the field.
• Integrated and data-informed warm-up programmes.

Accidents happen in life everywhere - this work is not about that.  The facts are:

ACC figures show there are about 130+ spinal cord injuries annually, about one of which is attributed to rugby. 

There are also approximately 160 traumatic brain injuries every year – we understand that there is only one related to rugby over the last five years, but ACC cannot release that number due to privacy. 

We are all passionate about the game and want to see it continue to prosper.