Poor tackling technique from local-based female players across the clubs, led to injuries in the women’s games at the Cook Islands Rugby League Nines in Paradise Tournament last weekend, says a world rugby union educator Andrew Iroa.

Andrew Iroa says coaches and clubs need to factor in the importance of developing women’s rugby league in Rarotonga.

And this week, on Saturday at 5pm at the BCI Stadium Iro is holding a ‘Tackle Ready’ workshop aiming to help female league players to build on safe tackling, and to increase technical understanding, and mastery for both player and coach.

Looking at the 9s in Paradise game Iroa said: “We need to educate these ladies on the importance of safety as this is a contact sport.

“The fundamentals of tackling technique to minimise the dangers of oneself getting injured and building a ‘tackle culture’ within each club.”

Iroa said that as much as it was a rugby union programme, it was still related to rugby league in regards to tackling.

“As a world rugby educator, these ladies must come through this tackle ready workshop to benefit themselves.”

He said the programme also allows coaches to analyse and assess the individual tackling skills of their players in detail and to foster the development of a “tackle culture” within their rugby environment.

He said player welfare is World Rugby’s number one priority, and they will continually work to ensure that stakeholders can access high-quality, up-to-date training and education opportunities, supported by a wide range of resources to help make the game safer and better.

The programme is expected to improve the player’s technical proficiency, accuracy, confidence, and tackle mind-set, leading to safer performance in the tackle contest for both tackler and ball carrier in training and in games.

The five stages of the programme include specific drills and activities to help players to become fundamentally sound and offer suitable progressions for all levels.

Tackle Ready identifies skill-specific movement patterns relating to the core components of the tackle and takes them from a simple static form through to dynamic combined movements.

Iroa said he has received positive feedback from those interested in the programme.

Those interested to join the Saturday workshop can register on:  https://passport.world.rugby/

Prerequisite modules to be completed before starting the workshop include:

Concussion Management for the General Public: link - https://passporthttps://passport.world.rugby/player-welfare-medical/concussion-management-for-the-general-public/

Tackle Ready – https://passport.world.rugby/injury-prevention-and-risk-management/tackle-ready/