Table 1 Number of tackles associated with injuries and tackle characteristics by player levels

Number of tackles

4718 (100%)

5345 (100%)

4746 (100%)

14,809 (100%)

Concussion

9

13

19

41

Incidence, injury events/1000 player hours (95% CI)

15.0 (5.6–24.4)

16.3 (5.3–27.2)

23.8 (8.3–39.2)

18.3 (11.6–25.0)

Incidence, injury events/1000 tackles (95% CI)

1.91 (0.66–3.15)

2.43 (1.11–3.75)

4.00 (2.21–5.80)

2.77 (1.92–3.62)

Tackle characteristics

Head placement on the side of the ball carrier

 Correct head position

3968 (84.10%)

4613 (86.30%)

4264 (89.84%)

12,845 (86.73%)

 Head-in-front position

750 (15.90%)

732 (13.70%)

482 (10.16%)

1964 (13.26%)

Direction

 Front-on

2709 (57.42%)

3002 (56.16%)

2630 (55.42%)

8341 (56.32%)

 Side-on

1676 (35.52%)

1967 (36.80%)

1665 (35.08%)

5308 (35.84%)

 Behind

333 (7.06%)

376 (7.03%)

451 (9.50%)

1160 (7.83%)

Tackle height

 Chest

2034 (43.11%)

2361 (44.17%)

2596 (54.70%)

6991 (47.21%)

 Torso

2153 (45.63%)

2454 (45.91%)

1745 (36.77%)

6352 (42.89%)

 Below the hip

531 (11.25%)

530 (9.92%)

405 (8.53%)

1466 (9.90%)

Tackle type

 Shoulder

2660 (56.38%)

2926 (54.74%)

2205 (46.46%)

7791 (52.61%)

 Arm

1064 (22.55%)

1229 (22.99%)

1130 (23.81%)

3423 (23.11%)

 Smother

994 (21.07%)

1190 (22.26%)

1411 (29.73%)

3595 (24.28%)