Medical study finds scrum-caps fail to prevent head injuries

A MEDICAL study claims protective skull caps do nothing to protect against concussion.

The International Rugby Board (IRB) funded an on-field trial involving experimental protective helmets which were put through their paces in a study involving 4000 players.

Over a period of about 30,000 playing hours, the group was split into three – one wearing the trial helmets, one wearing regulation skull caps, and another wearing whatever they normally played with.

“We did that in a randomised control trial – the gold standard for studying these sorts of preventative measures – and we found there was actually no reduction in head injury or concussion rates with protective helmets, at all,” Caroline Finch, a professor in injury research at Melbourne’s Monash University said.

“We didn’t even find it with the players in the modified helmets, which had thicker padding. So we’ve got no evidence really that soft-shell helmets help prevent concussion, although they may prevent against superficial injuries.

“But we certainly wouldn’t be saying at this stage that this is a protective device that is going to prevent everything.”

The trial showed that current headgear “might prevent superficial grazes but it won’t prevent concussions”.

“I have to say, too often people say the answer is to just put a helmet on, that’s going to solve everything,” she wrote.

Current IRB rules state most players who suffer concussion must stop playing for three weeks while elite players, are allowed to return earlier if they are deemed symptom-free by a neurologist.

Meanwhile Munster A were paired against Ulster in the British and Irish Cup quarter-final draw yesterday.

It took a final day combination of miracle results, including Leinster A holding London Welsh to a draw, to ensure Munster would earn the spot for the January 20 clash.

Leinster A will host Welsh Principality Premiership outfit Pontypridd, who finished top of their group with wins over Leeds Carnegie and Swansea.

British & Irish Cup quarter-finals: Cornish Pirates v Nottingham Rugby, Ulster v Munster A, Leinster A v Pontypridd, Cross Keys v Llanelli.