World Rugby course completions reach 1.5 million as e-learning surges during COVID-19 pandemic

1.5 million people have completed World Rugby courses since their inception in 2007

More than 140,000 people across 85 nations undertake World Rugby e-learning so far in 2020, double the total annual figure in 2019

More than 70,000 players, coaches, administrators and volunteers have undertaken dedicated COVID-19 training to mitigate transmission risk in the sport

Concussion and laws education completions surge online

World Rugby committed to supporting unions building necessary capacity and consistency to ensure rugby is better placed than ever to restart

As rugby returns from the global COVID-19 pandemic, the sport will have never been so well prepared, thanks to a record surge in online learning.

Record World Rugby e-learing course completions of 140,000 in the first half of the year has taken the total number of completions to 1.5 million worldwide since the programme began in 2007, with 2020 set to be the biggest-ever year of course delivery by the international federation despite the pandemic.

More than 70,000 people have undertaken World Rugby’s training and education courses online in 2020, surpassing the total for the calendar year in 2019, while a further 70,000 people have undertaken dedicated COVID-19 return-to-play education as preparation for rugby training and playing continues.

Featuring 32 online learning modules and 28 face-to-face courses across seven dedicated strands, including World Rugby’s flagship Rugby Ready programme, which is designed to build union capacity and consistency across coaching, officiating, medical and administration to ensure that the sport is as simple, safe and enjoyable to play as possible.

The huge online response also underscores the commitment of World Rugby’s Technical Services department in aiming not just to maintain education levels during the global lockdown, but increase reach and engagement.

Highlights include:

More than 70,000 players, coaches, medics and public having undertaken World Rugby’s e-learning modules so far in 2020, surpassing the total for the whole of 2019

39,500 players, coaches and administrators have undertaken multi-lingual COVID-19 return-to-play training, while a further 28,300 have undertaken COVID-19 self checks

15,000 new concussion education completions, an increase of 20 per cent over the same period in 2019

17,000 new completions of the laws of the game programme online, representing a 20 per cent increase in completions year-on-year

More than 700 face-to-face courses delivered in 85 unions (where restrictions have allowed) to 9,582 participants

Even before COVID-19, there was already high growth and adoption in education technology across World Rugby’s programmes, with the percentage of online course delivery versus face-to-face delivery increasing dramatically, despite a rise in the latter.

World Rugby Head of Technical Services Mark Harrington said: “To support the large-scale delivery of essential courses and programmes for the rugby community, we have been actively engaging with remote education technologies and approaches to ensure that the community continues to be engaged and productive during the lockdown.

“A combination of this approach and rugby inactivity has enabled us to reach more people than ever before to deliver courses to, including the general public, which augers really well as we begin to emerge from the pandemic.

“Delivery of COVID-19 related courses for community rugby and education on the return to play process has been a major highlight, while we are also experiencing a surge in concussion and laws education, all of which will ensure that the sport has never been so prepared to return as we start to a return to training and playing around the globe.”

World Rugby General Manager, Training and Education Jock Peggie added: “While there will always be elements of practical delivery that are most effective face-to-face, the surge in online learning during the pandemic has enabled us to expand the breadth of our delivery and reach people we may not ordinarily be able to deliver courses to. Video conferencing capability has provided the important benefit of ensuring that our licensed training and education workforce around the globe are engaged, quality assured and up to date which will benefit the sport at all levels.”

World Rugby’s portfolio of e-learning courses can be found at playerwelfare.worldrugby.org

COVID-19 resources: playerwelfare.worldrugby.org/covid-19

COVID-19 tests: playerwelfare.worldrugby.org/covid-19-courses

Breakdown Law Application Guideline – further detail: laws.worldrugby.org/en/guidelines/15/detail