What happens if my child gets a concussion?

SA Rugby's Concussion Regulations (updated December 2025) treat a suspected concussion the same as a confirmed one in amateur rugby:

• Recognise and Remove: the child must leave the training session or match immediately and may not come back that day. In amateur rugby the referee may show a Blue Card to signal this.
• Medical assessment: a medical doctor should diagnose the concussion.
• Rest: 24 to 48 hours of physical and mental rest, followed by light activity that does not make symptoms worse.
• No contact rugby for at least 2 weeks, even if symptoms have cleared.
• Graduated return to play: the child completes a step-by-step programme, must be symptom free before the hard stages, and needs a doctor's clearance before full-contact training.
• Earliest return to a match: 21 days after the injury.

The regulations ask for extra caution with players under 19. Take the child to hospital at once if headaches get worse, they become more drowsy or confused, vomit repeatedly, have a seizure, have severe neck pain, or have weakness or numbness in the arms or legs.