While the practice of rugby had been stopped since the Christmas holidays, following a serious accident, the National Union of School Sport announced the resumption of it as a whole. Rugby V and league play had already resumed in early January, but rugby sevens and fifteen were still considered riskier practices.
The practice of school rugby, stopped on the eve of the Christmas holidays following a very serious accident in the Hautes-Pyrénées, will resume as a whole, announced Friday the National Union of School Sport (UNSS). Rugby V and league play had already resumed at the start of the month, but rugby VII and XV were still considered riskier practices. “Gathered at the initiative of the national management of the UNSS at the very beginning of January 2023, the national joint commissions devoted to rugby have worked to strengthen regulatory and security educational measures”, explains the UNSS in a press release. .
“All rugby practices can therefore be offered again from January 19,” adds the body.
A 17-year-old quadriplegic high school student
The decision to halt school rugby practice and competition just before the Christmas holidays was taken two days after an accident on December 14 in which a tackle left a 17-year-old high school student quadriplegic, also player of the Bagnères-de-Bigorre club. “Additional awareness and prevention measures have been taken to guarantee the physical integrity of licensees, who benefit from insurance coverage in the event of exceptional risks for all sports practiced in sports associations and during competitions”, continues the President. ‘UNSS.
“The FFR is delighted with this decision which illustrates the strong and common desire to continue to develop the practice of rugby and make it as strong as possible for the children who are and will remain the future of this sport”, welcomed the French Rugby Federation in a press release, where it claims to have “committed to supporting the development of school practice through targeted actions to prevent the safety of practitioners”.