Rugby safety in South Africa has always been an issue that has been brought to the fore via many diverse channels of communication, i.e. mothers for rugby, the quad-para association of SA, media, schools, parents and players. None more so than the Chris Burger/Petro Jackson Players’ Fund, which was launched by South African rugby legend, and then Springbok Captain, Morné du Plessis, after one of his friends, and Western Province great, Chris Burger, was fatally injured in a rugby match in August 1980.
In 1992 with unity in South Africa, the existing Chris Burger Fund merged with the Petro Jackson Fund in memory of another young player who died in 1989 to form the Players’ Fund as it is today. The Players’ fund duly supported by the South African Rugby Union has historically provided support to catastrophically injured rugby players and their families for over 30 years.
Additionally, SARU, under direction of Dr Ismail Jakoet, who coincidentally is also one of the Trustees of the Players’ Fund, was responsible for providing further education and awareness on the management of head, neck and spine rugby injuries during the period 1992-2007 on SARU’s behalf. One of the cornerstones of SARU and that of the Fund was developing injury prevention initiatives that would ultimately lead to reduction in head, neck and spine injuries.
>A national survey amongst the 14 Provincial Unions in 1993 established that there was a significant lack of primary field-side medical care at club and schools around SA. It was identified that the primary cause of the lack of medical infrastructure was:
The exorbitant costs involved in providing this emergency medical services
The number of trained personnel to provide such emergency medical services countrywide was lacking
Based on these findings, in 1996, SARU approached a company called Smith-&-Nephew to sponsor one-day primary field-side care workshops that were presented to the 14 Provincial Unions around South Africa. These courses were presented by Dr Ismail Jakoet and Joyce Morton aimed at Club and School representatives around the country. Emanating from these workshops the original Rugby Medic Club and Spineline initiatives were borne via SARU and the Chris Burger/Petro Jackson Players’ Fund.
In 2006, SARU in conjunction with the Fund embarked upon developing an action plan to reduce the increasing number of serious head, neck and spine injuries associated with the game of rugby union in SA. After various workshops with all local relevant rugby stakeholders during 2006 and 2007, the concept of the BokSmart National Rugby Safety programme was borne. The position of Project Manager was advertised in December of 2007, and the position was filled in January of 2008.
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