Does a headguard stop your child getting concussed? It is the question we are asked more than any other in September, usually by a parent whose son or daughter has just moved into contact rugby. The honest answer is no, and anyone who tells you otherwise is selling you something. That does not mean headguards are pointless — they do a real job — but the job is not the one most people think it is.
Here are the things people believe about headguards, and what is actually true.
Myth: a headguard protects against concussion
World Rugby's own position is clear. Approved headgear reduces cuts, abrasions and superficial injuries to the scalp and ears. It is not designed to prevent concussion and the evidence does not show that it does. Concussion is caused by the brain moving inside the skull, and a thin layer of foam on the outside of the skull cannot meaningfully change that.
This matters practically, not just technically. The genuine risk with headguards is behavioural: a player who believes their head is protected may tackle higher, lead with the head, or carry on after a bang they should have reported. If a headguard is worn, it should come with the conversation that nothing about head injury protocol changes when it goes on.
What a headguard does do is worth having. Cauliflower ear, friction burns from rucks, cuts from stray boots and studs, and the general skin damage that comes from being at the bottom of a pile — a headguard genuinely helps with all of it. That is a reasonable reason to buy one.
Myth: any padded headgear is allowed in a match
Law 4 covers what players may wear, and headgear must conform to the World Rugby specification set out in Regulation 12. Approved items carry an approval mark, usually stitched or printed onto the guard itself. The specification limits things like the thickness and density of the padding, which is precisely why you cannot wear a scrum cap borrowed from another sport or a thicker foam version imported from abroad.
A referee can and will refuse a non-approved headguard, and for a junior fixture that usually means the player takes it off and plays without. So the practical rule is simple: if you cannot find the approval mark on it, do not buy it. Check the guard, not just the box.
Myth: tighter is safer
An over-tight headguard is a worse headguard. If it compresses the ears it becomes uncomfortable within twenty minutes and the player spends the second half adjusting it rather than watching the ball. Too loose and it rotates, which means the padding is no longer where the impact is and the eyeline is obstructed at exactly the wrong moment.
Fit it like this:
- Measure around the head just above the ears and the eyebrows, and buy to the manufacturer's size chart rather than to the age on the label. Junior head sizes vary enormously at the same age.
- The guard should sit level, with the front edge above the eyebrows and not creeping down over them.
- Take hold of it and try to rotate it. A little movement of the scalp with it is fine. The guard sliding around the head is not.
- Fasten the chin strap snugly enough that two fingers slide under it comfortably, no more.
- Check the ear openings line up. If the player's ears are folded, the size or the shape is wrong.
Myth: it lasts as long as the player wants it to
Foam has a working life. It compresses, hardens and stops rebounding, and a guard that has done two full seasons of contact is doing noticeably less than it did new. Squeeze the padding at the crown and temples — if it feels dense and slow to spring back compared with a new one, replace it.
Look after it in between and it will last its natural life. Rinse the sweat out in cool water, squeeze rather than wring, and air dry away from radiators. Machine washing at temperature and tumble drying both break down the foam and the bonding, and a guard that has been through a hot wash will lose its shape. Never leave it balled up wet in the bottom of a kit bag.
So should your child wear one?
Reasonable position, and the one we give most often: a headguard is a sensible piece of kit for a forward, for anyone prone to ear damage, for a player who has had cuts to the scalp before, and for any child who simply feels more confident with one on. It is not a requirement, it is not a safety net, and it should never be the reason a player stays on the pitch after a head knock.
If your child is playing age-grade rugby and you are choosing kit for the first time, spend your money in this order: a well-fitted mouthguard first, boots that suit the pitch second, headguard third. That order reflects what actually reduces injuries.
Brands you will come across in the UK include Canterbury and Rhino, both of which make approved junior and senior guards across a normal size range. We carry headguards alongside the rest of the rugby kit range, with base layers and match kit in the clothing section. If you would like your child's head measured properly before you buy, drop us a line and bring them in.