Female rugby union injuries in New Zealand: A review of five years (2013–2017) of Accident Compensation Corporation moderate to severe claims and costs

To provide epidemiological data and related costs for moderate-to-serious and serious injury claims for women’s rugby union in New Zealand. A retrospective analytical review of injury entitlement claims for women’s rugby from 2013 to 2017. Data were analysed by year of competition, age, body site and injury type for total and moderate-to-severe (MSC) Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) claims and costs. Over 2013 to 2017 there were 26,070 total claims for female rugby union costing $18,440,812 [AD$16,956,998]. The 15–19-year age group recorded 40% (n=1,009) of the total female rugby union Moderate-to-serious and serious (MSC) claims and 41% ($5,419,157 [AD$4,983,112]) of the total female rugby union MSC costs. The knee was the most commonly recorded injury site accounting for 40.3% (n=1,007) of MSC claims and 46.9% ($6,229,714 [AD$5,728732]) of MSC costs with an average cost of $1,245,943 ±$217,796 [AD$595,351 ±AD$104,070] per-year for female rugby union. This is the first study to report the nature and related costs for moderate-to-serious and serious injury claims for women’s rugby union in New Zealand. A total of 26,070 injury claims were lodged over the duration of the study but only 9.6% (n=2,501) of these were classified as MSC injury entitlement claims. Participants 25 years and older accounted for 31% of the female rugby union player claims. Females in the over 35-year age groups compete against younger participants which may account for the higher mean cost per-claim seen as the age groups increase in years until they retire from the game.