11 February 2020

Rugby league side Castleford Tigers become first women's club to provide ECG's for players

Women's Super League team Castleford Tigers have become the first women's rugby league side to provide electrocardiograms for their players.

ECG's monitors the electrical activity in the heart, something that male players have had at their disposal for some time.

Doctor Richard Lawrance, an experienced team doctor within rugby league, has been carrying out the tests.

He said: "Castleford approached me when I was coming to screen the boys, I screened 80 of the lads two or three weeks ago.

"There have been high profile cases in rugby league where players have needlessly died on the field of play. 

"When we had the chance to extend this [the ECG's] to the ladies, it's not even in the international game, to be the first [women's] team in the professional rugby is real kudos for Castleford.

"I think its something we need to be thinking of across the professional game. Why it should just be in the men's game and not in the women's I don't understand."

The Tigers first match back in the WSL will be against St Helens on March 29.

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