Transgender women could potentially be banned from playing rugby union, a draft report from World Rugby has suggested.

Female players are ‘20-30 per cent’ more likely to be injured after being tackled by someone who has gone through male puberty, the report claims.

And it claims science suggests trans women have an advantage over biological women even after they take medication to lower their testosterone levels.

The 38-page draft document, seen by The Guardian, concludes that their current rule, which allows trans women to play rugby if they have been taking medication to lower their testosterone for 12 months, is 'not fit for purpose’.

The document adds it will consider its decision if scientific advice changes.

World Rugby are funding research to look for ways of how transgender women can be involved in rugby but adds ‘at the present time, however, based on the best published scientific evidence, that position is unsupported’.

The draft also recommends that trans men can play against biological men but only if they have a physical consultation, a therapeutic-exemption-use certificate and sign a waiver which says they are aware of the greater risk of injury.

The draft proposal has been sent to individual unions for feedback.

All of this comes after the governing body began to consult with scientists, legal experts and groups that represent trans women and men surrounding their guidelines on the topic in February.