Officials set to gather for welfare conference
September 5, 2002

Leading figures representing various areas of the rugby game - players, coaches and broadcasters - will attend the first IRB Player Welfare Conference to be held in Dublin on September 9th & 10th.

Key topics for discussion will include player injuries, player burnout, rest periods and the psychological as well as the physiological demands of the modern, professional game.

Recommendations made at the conference via the Medical Advisory Committee will be put to the IRB Council in November for consideration.

The conference will be hosted by IRB Chief Executive, Mike Miller who commented, "I am delighted that the conference has been widely received by the game generally, we look forward to a wide ranging discussion and I'm certain it will be a very productive two days."

Amongst those attending the Player Welfare Conference are: Daniel Herbert (Australia); Greg Feek (New Zealand); Abdel Benazzi (France); John Mitchell (New Zealand); Ian McGeechan (Scotland); Dr. John Mayhew and Dr. John Best.

  • Full List of Conference attendees:
    Nigel Henderson
    N.A Murphy, IRB Council
    Dr. Syd Millar, IRB Council
    David Pickering, IRB Council
    Mr. Sam Simon, IRB Council
    Mr. J. O Neill, IRB Council
    Mr. T. Gresson, IRB Council
    Mr. R. Oberholzer, IRB Council
    Mr. S. Nkanunu, IRB Council
    Dr. Barry O Driscoll, IRB Medical Advisory Committee
    Dr. Filippo Bottiglia, IRB Medical Advisory Committee
    Dr. Ichiro Kono, IRB Medical Advisory Committee
    Dr. Ismail Jakoet, IRB Medical Advisory Committee
    Dr. John Best, IRB Medical Advisory Committee
    Dr. John Mayhew, IRB Medical Advisory Committee
    Dr. Preston Wiley, IRB Medical Advisory Committee
    Dr. Roger Evans, IRB Medical Advisory Committee
    Dr. Simon Kemp, IRB Medical Advisory Committee
    Dr. Enrique Basso, IRB Medical Advisory Committee
    Graeme Mew, IRB Medical Advisory Committee
    Dr. J. Mombet, IRB Medical Advisory Committee
    Prof. Donald Macleod, IRB Medical Advisory Committee
    Patrick Wolff, Principle Speaker
    Clyde Williams, Principle Speaker
    Dr. Arja L.T Uusitalo, Principle Speaker
    Ken Quarrie, Principle Speaker
    John Mitchell, Principle Speaker
    Gilbert Enoka, Principle Speaker
    Alastair Hignall, Principle Speaker
    Tony Spreadbury, Referee
    Ian McGeechan, Coach
    Jim Telfer, Coach
    Albe McCormack, Physio
    Cobus Visage, Player
    Daniel Herber, Player
    Greg Feek, Player
    Abdel Benazzi, Player
    Damien Hopley, IRPA
    Tony Dempsey, IRPA
    Rob Nicol, IRPA
    Piet Heymans, IRPA
    Serge Simon, IRPA
    Steve Tew, Sanzar Rep
    Butch Watson-Smith, Sanzar Rep
    Jon Davis, Six Nations Rep
    Harry Burnett, SRU
    Andrew Hore, WRU
    Peter Friend, ARU
    Dr. Liam Henessey, IRFU
    Eddie O Sullivan, IRFU
    Kentaro Azuma, Japan
    Chris Spice, RFU
    Dr. Donal O Shaughnessy, Barbarians
    Derek McGrath, ERC
    Roger O Connor, ERC
    Manuel Martin, European Clubs Association
    Joseba Fernandez, European Clubs Association

  • Conference Agenda:

    September 5, 2002

    Day 1
    8.00 - 8.15 - Welcome Mike Miller CEO IRB

    Setting the Scene

    8.15 - 8.40 European Club Perspective - Patrick Wolff
    8.40 - 8.55 Players Perspective - Two professional players
    8.55 - 9.10 Medical Science considerations - Dr. John Best
    9.10 - 9.40 Physiological demands - Prof. Clyde Williams
    9.40 - 10.10 Psychological demands - Gilbert Enoke
    10.40 - 11.10 Player "Burnout" - Dr. Arja L.T. Uusitalo
    11.10 - 12.00 General discussion

    Injury in Rugby Union
    1.30 - 2.00 Injury trends in Rugby - Ken Quarrie
    2.00 - 2.15 Player perspective of Injury risk - Damien Hopley
    2.15 - 2.30 Coach perspective of Injury - John Mitchell
    2.30 - 2.45 Contracts in Rugby - Tony Dempsey
    2.45 - 3.00 Return to play guidelines - Dr. John Mayhew

    3.30 - 4.15 Break out workshop groups

    1. Return to play
    Gilbert Enoke
    Player
    Dr. John Mayhew
    Ian McGeechan
    Tony Dempsey

    2. Player Burnout
    Dr. Arja LT Uusotalo
    Clyde Williams
    Dr. John Best
    Player
    Hugh Penman
    Jim Telfer

    3. Reducing injury trends
    Dr. Ken Quarrie
    Prof. Donald Macleod
    Geoff Evans
    Steve Griffiths

    4. On-field Injury interchange
    Dr. Barry O Driscoll
    Dr. Ichiro Kono
    Tony Spreadbury
    John Mitchell
    Rob Nicol (TBC)

    4.20 - 4.40 Presentation from each of the Breakout workshop groups (5 min each)
    4.40 - 5.30 General discussion - Nigel Henderson

    Day 2 - The Rugby Player and Rest

    8.30 - 8.45 Previous Day Summary / Objectives of Day 2 - Dr. Preston Wiley

    8.45 - 9.15 Team Medical care in Professional Rugby - Dr. Ismail Jakoet
    9.15 - 9.25 Physiological effects of rest - Prof. Clyde Williams
    9.25 - 9.35 Psychological effects of rest - Gilbert Enoke
    9.35 - 9.45 Global effects of rest - Dr. Arja L.T. Uusitalo
    9.45 - 10.00 Broadcaster perspective - Alastair Hignell
    10.30 - 10.45 A proposal for players rest - Medical Advisory Com.
    10.45 - 12.00 Facilitated discussion - Nigel Henderson
    1.30 - 3.45 Formulation and consolidation of proposals - Nigel Henderson
    3.45 - 4.00 The Way forward - Mike Miller CEO IRB

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