It is every rugby player’s dream to combine his job with his passion
and wear the shirt for his team, his club and ultimately his country.
Since the sport turned professional in 1996, the game has become more
physically demanding and the risk of injury has increased. In recent
years, each Premiership Club has lost an average of two players per
season to career-ending injury, and those numbers are rising each year.

Thankfully, most players avoid serious injury, but a professional
rugby career can be threatened at any time: a bad tackle, collapsed
scrum, serious concussion, an accident or illness off the pitch. When
the worst happens, Restart Rugby is there to support players and their
families during challenging times.

We provide financial, practical and emotional support in the following ways:

• Help with the cost of long term or on-going medical treatment


• Assistance to pay for equipment or home improvements to help with rehabilitation


• Support to attain qualifications and retrain in the event of career-ending illness or injury


• A counselling service to help players and their families cope during difficult times


• Financial support if a player is unable to work as a result of illness or injury


• Medical research and injury prevention initiatives to reduce future demand on charity funds