"We can't just copy and paste what the men do into female sport": contextual experiences and perceptions of injury and injury prevention in adolescent female rugby.

Objectives: Understanding the context in which injuries occur and how injury prevention strategies are implemented is essential for developing effective injury prevention and management strategies. Thus, the study aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of the experiences and perceptions of players, parents/guardians, and coaches regarding injuries and injury prevention strategies within adolescent female rugby in England. The study also aimed to understand the contextual barriers and/or facilitators of injury prevention strategy implementation.

Methods: This qualitative study utilised semi-structured interviews to explore the experiences and perceptions of under-16/under-18 female rugby players, their parents/guardians and coaches/team staff towards injury and injury prevention strategies. Reflexive thematic analysis was employed to analyse transcripts.

Results: Twenty-four participants were recruited: twelve coaches/team staff, seven players, and five parents/guardians. Four themes were developed: Navigating female-centred considerations in injury and prevention; Creating safe conditions: confidence, culture, and capacity; Voices from the pitch: lived experiences of injury; and Preparing for impact: what supports or hinders injury prevention. Communication dynamics were also a key finding, which often shaped participants' experiences of injury prevention and implementation.

Conclusions: Participants' experiences of injuries and injury prevention were complex and context-dependent and shaped by sociocultural factors. Moreover, participants highlighted the need to consider the dynamics of communication as it can play a substantial role in injury management and prevention. Finally, exploring key partners' experiences and perceptions can enrich understanding and aid in the identification of potential barriers and facilitators to implementation.