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WRU SPORTS GOGGLES GUIDANCE

The Welsh Rugby Union is committed to providing all rugby players in Wales with the ability to play and enjoy our game. This guidance is set out to embrace and promote rugby in Wales and ensure it is inclusive to all.

Sport goggles in rugby union are not designed to provide extra protection for the wearer, but to allow corrective lenses to be worn without causing any greater risk of injury to any player e.g. for a medical condition, or by a player having lost the sight in one eye and wanting to protect the remaining eye from injury, or to enhance vision where contact lenses can’t be worn.

Players at any age group are now permitted to wear sports goggles in all forms of contact rugby, without obtaining the Welsh Rugby Unions prior consent, where the conditions set out below are met:

1. The sports goggles must be dispensed by a registered dispensing optician, who is a member of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians (“ABDO”), or an optician registered with the General Optical Council (“GOC”).
2. The player must have written confirmation from the ABDO or GOC optician that:

• The goggles are required to correct the vision of the player or are required to protect the player’s eyes due to a medical or optical condition, to enable the playing of Rugby Union; and
• The goggles do not substantially restrict any normal field of vision and are suitable for use in evasion contact sports; and
• The goggles do not constitute a physical danger to the player or other players; and
• The player is not capable of wearing contact lenses, and why this is the case.

There will be a requirement for age grade players that they must have the consent of their parent(s) or guardian.

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Useful Information & links

If an optician is registered with the GOC they will be listed on the GOC’s list of registered members which is available at https://optical.org/

Clubs must report any injuries caused as a result of sports googles to the Welsh Rugby Union by emailing integrity@wru.wales and the player or parent/guardian must report the injury to the dispensing optician or optometrist who prescribed the sports goggles.

Players should note that the WRU’s approach to sports goggles differs from that of World Rugby and the other Home Unions, so if a player wishes to use sports goggles outside of Wales, they should consult the rules of the relevant Union. World Rugby approved Raleri sports goggles are also available https://www.raleri.com/shop/ products/RaleriWall.php

Download the WRU Sports Goggles Guidance poster HERE

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