Australia adopts guidelines to enhance safety and minimize mismatches

Rugby Australia have announced that they are to make significant changes to Junior and Senior rugby, adopting a Size for Age policy aimed at ensuring maximum safety and enjoyment for all participants. They will also introduce a Blue Card concussion management system. The new guidelines, similar to what New Zealand have in place at junior level, will enable individual players to be moved into a different age group following an assessment of physical and personal development factors including height, weight, playing experience, fitness and maturity. The current participation policy allows for a…