The Chris Burger Petro Jackson Players’ Fund supports the fallen heroes of rugby, players who have sustained catastrophic head, neck or spinal cord injuries whilst on the rugby field. In 2015 it will be 35 years since current Chairman – Morné du Plessis and his Western Province Team mates started the Players’ Fund. In commemoration of this occasion the Players’ Fund and the South African Rugby Union’s Rugby Safety Programme – BokSmart have developed a Rugby Seminar series which will focus on informing rugby fans and players on some of the latest developments in the sport.
The first events of the series will focus on the positive effects of South African rugby safety interventions which have been aimed at reducing the rate of injury as well as improving the management of young players in SA.
The seminars “Ensuring Smarter rugby in our youth” will educate, inform and empower those involved in youth rugby in South Africa. Content will highlight ‘Why rugby is a safer game today’, ‘Getting your head around concussions’ and ‘What every parent wants to know; what, when and how much?’ All topics aim to help increase the chances of rugby players playing better rugby, for longer.
Seminars will be held in Johannesburg and Cape Town and will be hosted by well-known South African rugby legends, Joel Stransky (JHB) with the Cape Town host still to be confirmed. The seminars will include informative talks by three highly respected guest speakers, Dr Wayne Viljoen, Dr Jon Patricios and Justin Durandt.
Dr Wayne Viljoen is the Senior Manager of Rugby Safety at the South African Rugby Union, and is the operational head of the BokSmart National Rugby Safety program. Wayne is a biokineticist by profession, with a PhD in Exercise Physiology from the University of Cape Town. Wayne specialises in injury prevention with a specific focus on head, neck and spine rugby injuries.
Dr Jon Patricios is a medical consultant to the South African Rugby Union (SARU), the BokSmart injury prevention programme and the World Rugby’s (formerly the IRB) Concussion Advisory Panel. He founded Sports Concussion South Africa. He is in his second term as President of the South African Sports Medicine Association and also consults to professional teams in football, cricket and cycling.
Justin Durandt is currently the manager of the Discovery High performance Centre at the Sport Science Institute of South Africa. Justin has been the conditioning specialist for numerous South African national teams, has served on the national high performance advisory panel for the South African Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and he is currently completing a PHD in talent identification and development at the MRC/UCT Research unit for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine at the University of Cape Town.
A R50 donation to the Players’ Fund will secure your place at a two and a half hour evening seminar including a refreshment break, sponsored lucky draw prizes and a panel discussion with SA Referee General Manager – Andre Watson and the Senior Manager of Medical at the South Africa Rugby Union – Clint Readhead.
Seminars will be held on:
– Tuesday 24 February 2015 at St Johns College, Johannesburg
– Wednesday 4 March 2015 at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa, Cape Town.
Both events will start at 18h00 with registration and snacks being available from 17h30.
To book your seat please visit: http://www.ssisa.com/conventions/smarter-rugby-in-our-youth/ or contact (021) 659 5615 / events@playersfund.org.za