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Keeping Our Small Blacks Safe

Small Blacks rugby is all about making the game safe and enjoyable for everyone. Keeping players safe is everybody’s job.

  • Have at least one person with a current first aid qualification with every team.
  • Your local Hato Hone St John has course dates for a range of first aid qualifications.
  • Players, management and parents should all know where the team or club’s phone, first aid kit, ice and stretcher are.
  • Keep all players’ emergency contact details on hand at all times.
  • Clubs are responsible for making sure all team managers and coaches know the process for reporting serious injuries to New Zealand Rugby, and injury reporting for their own Provincial Union.

Concussion

  • If a player shows any signs or symptoms of concussion, take them off straight away. You don’t need to be sure.
  • Every player with a suspected concussion has a minimum 21-day stand-down before returning to a game.
  • Log every suspected concussion using the NZR Concussion Notification Form.
  • Learn more on the Concussion page.

Mouthguards

  • Mouthguards are compulsory for all players at all levels of community rugby, at every training and every game.
  • They help reduce injuries to the teeth, lips, mouth and tongue, and help reduce jaw fractures.
  • Check your players have their mouthguards. If they don’t have one, they don’t play.
  • Replace mouthguards every season so they give the best protection. Growing tamariki may need a new one sooner.

Headgear

Headgear must fit properly and securely to help prevent cuts to the scalp and ears. There is no evidence that headgear protects against concussion.

WEIGHT LOSS FOR SMALL BLACKS TO MAKE TEAMS

New Zealand Rugby strongly advises against Small Blacks players losing weight to make weight-restricted teams. Children should be actively discouraged from using weight loss techniques, including saunas, fluid restriction or crash dieting, to make these teams.

These techniques can cause dehydration and undernourishment in the short term, affecting mental and physical performance. In the long term they may interfere with normal growth and development and lead to serious health problems, including eating disorders and organ damage.

Any weight loss programme a child does for health reasons should be done in full consultation with a healthcare professional.