ARU to trial Blue Card system for Concussion

3/23/2017



The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) will trial a ‘Blue Card’ system in the ACT and Newcastle competitions in the coming weeks as the code continues to step up its efforts in the management of concussion.

The Blue Card initiative gives the on-field referee authority to issue a Blue Card to any player presenting signs of concussion during a match. After receiving a Blue Card, the player must leave the field of play for the remainder of the match and cannot return to Rugby until they have completed a series of steps designed to ensure they make a full recovery before taking the field again.

Under the ARU’s concussion guidelines, mandatory stand down periods apply for any player diagnosed with concussion. For adults, the mandatory stand down period from training and playing is 12 days, while for children under 18 the stand down period is 19 days.

Key ARU medical and development staff held seminars with both the ACT and Newcastle & Hunter Rugby Union in recent weeks to educate referees, coaches and club medical staff on the Blue Card system, which will be trialed in opening round matches in their junior and senior competitions.

The Blue Card trial will kick off with this Saturday’s two scheduled first round matches in the ACT’s John I Dent Cup.

ARU Chief Medical Officer, Warren McDonald said player welfare and safety is paramount in the ARU’s concussion guidelines and in the implementation of the Blue Card system.

“The Blue Card trial is just one of the ARU’s many initiatives to improve player welfare and safety in our game, and follows over two years of extensive research on concussion and concussion management from World Rugby down through each nation,” he said.

“Our concussion guidelines are there to ensure that everyone in our game is educated on how to manage concussion and ultimately the aim is to gather feedback from the upcoming trials and work towards rolling out the Blue Card system nationally across our grassroots competitions at both junior and senior level.”

“The Blue Card is a visual cue that a player has a suspected concussion and they will be removed from the field of play and won’t be coming back that day. It’s about recognising and removing a player that is suffering the effects of a head knock.”

Blue Card trial explained

If a player is issued a Blue Card by a referee during a match, they must exit the game and can’t return to play in that match. The player must then follow a series of steps before returning to training and play:

• Physical rest for 24 hours or for as long as advised by a medical practitioner

• Complete the minimum stand down period under the ARU concussion guidelines (12 days for adults, 19 days for children under 18)

• Undertake a Graduated Return to Play program

• Obtain medical clearance to return to training/play

For further information on the ARU’s Concussion Guidance, tap here.

For Frequently Asked Questions on the ARU’s Blue Card trial, tap here.

http://www.aru.com.au/MediaReleases/...oncussion.aspx

Seriously, they want to use a card concept, normally used for disciplinary rationale. This is utter crap ... just circulate the edict that the ref can tell team mgmt. the game will not restart with IP on the pitch.

With the ARU minds on things like this, no wonder the grass is dying upwards from grass roots to franchises.

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Originally Posted by Kev

Seriously, they want to use a card concept, normally used for disciplinary rationale. This is utter crap ... just circulate the edict that the ref can tell team mgmt. the game will not restart with IP on the pitch.

With the ARU minds on things like this, no wonder the grass is dying upwards from grass roots to franchises.

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Sir, I think Kev needs a blue card.

I'm not opposed to Kev's comments, but for different reasons.

Is every ref trained in recognising the symptoms of concussion? and yet they are expected to adjudicate on the field whether there is a risk of concussion and then subject a player to a mandatory stand down.

I think that's putting a lot of responsibility on the Refs, particularly when I have never been to a game where there was NO medical support. (fair enough, there aren't enough ambos at Brittannia to keep an eye on every minute of every game), but surely something along those lines would be better than lumbering busy and untrained refs with yet another responsibility that is so laden with negative implications.

I agree player health and safety is the main concern while players are playing.. But to allow a ref ( Possible they are untrained medical professional ) to make this decision could be so damaging to the game.. Yes a ref should refer a player to a head knock test and the medical staff make the final decision.. Refs these days have problems just adjudicating a game and don't need more ammunition to chane results .. Possible side line a player to change the flow of a game..
Also they should put more work into preventing the cause not ruling on the end result.. Example I see last night Saders V Force game a prime example of this with JA.... Prevent the problem don't rule on the end result .. Had a better ruling been made on the illegal scrums earlier JA may not have had the result with his arm ...

The inconsistency of having an untrained person making the judgement on the run is fraught with challenge opportunities.

If a ref is overly cautious (which I expect most will be due to the long term implications of getting it wrong, they will be challenged over rubbing a player out and lose control.

If they are too lenient, they run the risk of being sued for negligence.

That would be ok lf they were adjudicating something you could get right 99% of the time, like blood. Concussion is not that obvious.

Governing Unions are stuck within a rock and a hard place.

Concussion assesment needs to be in the hands of a neutral body.

Ask the player or the coach and they will say that they are fine. Ask the opposition and of course they will want that player off the field.

RugbyWA, or for me - Subbies Rugby. are in no position financially to appoint someone else that is Qualified to asses a concussion.

Being a concussion there is no quick and easy test. Tho 7 + 4 equals Cucumber is a good indicator.

The fact is something does need to be done - Referees whilst not the perfect option are the best option available and should be given full support by all Clubs.

For those who think I otherwise I would request that they a few hours out of their very busy schedules to watch the Will Smith movie Concussion.

Trainers, doctors, anyone with somewhat of medical training...

Dont believe refs are the right ppl. Refs fuck up most of the time least when they should.

As i stated alot beforehand, afl convert... but last time i took a head knock (playin 3rds a number of years ago) it was the uni student physiotherapist that made the assessment.

I passed but still i had more faith in our trainer (the student) thant the ump.

Really what should the ref know medically?

Ex, have you ever been to a game that didn't have an ambulance in attendance?

I don't see where the extra expense is?

Anybody who suffers a head knock should be assessed by the attending medical staff before returning to the field.

GIGS- every game I go to doesnt have an ambulance unless called for.

To have an ambulance "stationed" at our games - the cost is ridiculously prohibitive.

"NSW Ambulance will be charged a call out fee of $349 plus an additional charge of $3.15 per kilometre"

so a ref can make an instant decision based on what he "reckons" and the player, before returning to the field has to go through a heap of hoops to prove he is ok?

if that isn't guilty before proving ones self innocent what is?

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Originally Posted by Happy

if that isn't guilty before proving ones self innocent what is?

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It's an assessment, not a criminal trial...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Exile

GIGS- every game I go to doesnt have an ambulance unless called for.

To have an ambulance "stationed" at our games - the cost is ridiculously prohibitive.

"NSW Ambulance will be charged a call out fee of $349 plus an additional charge of $3.15 per kilometre"

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Phew,

I know I haven't been involved with club rugby for a while, but there was always an ambulance in attendance when I was there.

Perhaps it was because i saw rugby at
Thomas Park, bunches of teams of under 8s
Britannia, Even more teams
Dowling St, Home carnivals
Lark Hill, ditto
PSA, Money up the wazoo

Making the investment worth it,

I guess my comments would need to be read with that understanding, if there isn't trained medical staff in attendance, then I guess the Ref (being the most likely to have any training) might be the best option.

But in this day and age of litigation-ruled decisions by almost every administrator on the planet, I'm still a little gobsmacked that such cover isn't provided by somebody looking to ensure they don't get their bum burnt.

their guilty of something

Canberra Times Monday Rubber hitting the road

Brumbies and Royals back-rower Tom Cusack was given a blue card in that game after the ACT Rugby Union introduced a new concussion protocol this season.

Referees have the power to issue a blue card to any player they suspect to be concussed, ruling them out of the rest of the game and not allowing them to play again for a minimum of 12 days.

Didn't understand the impact and do not believe Referee at JID affects Brumby selection without recourse.
Not happy with mandatory stand down

Ok my two bobs the ref is not a trained medical professional so should not be making an assessment of anything medical. If a trained medical professional does assess that a player is concussed then I think something a little more needs to be done to ensure that the person is not potentially put into further danger by being selected the following week or continuing the current game. The ref's should be able to send a player off to get an assessment and halt play whilst doing so. How many times have we seen a player get a head knock which results in them returning to the defensive line and continue to play. All the refs including at the highest level the TV ref should be able to communicate to the onfield ref in this matter.


The Tahs looked after Foley early this season and showed that they took this matter really seriously especially with the pressure of losing someone of his caliber when their season was going down the drain.