Emmanuel Reboursière, medical director of the 2023 Rugby World Cup

“I have been working with the French Rugby Federation for 10 years. After following some French youth teams, I was medical director during the Under-20 Rugby World Championship in 2018 in France and during the French stages of the international rugby sevens circuit.

So I accepted without hesitation to take on these responsibilities for the World Cup! I have been working on the project for a year and from June onwards, I will be 100% dedicated to this mission.

In addition to my standard medical training, I have a DESC* supplementary qualification in sports medicine, which I complemented with a DIU in rugby pathology in 2014. I have also completed the mandatory international training courses required for all medical personnel working on rugby players during professional or international matches (made mandatory by the international federation World Rugby).

The role of the medical director is to provide comprehensive and tailored medical care to players during and between matches, in conjunction with the doctors of the various teams. It also involves coordinating operations surrounding the event with the organizers.

"This position requires strong coordination skills to successfully carry out a variety of tasks alongside elite athletes and the federation. Each team has its own medical staff (physiotherapist, doctor, etc.) with whom I am in contact. If a specialist or a specific intervention is needed, I manage the transfer to a local healthcare facility."

The medical director also has a global vision of the public health system in order to best adapt to the specific problems related to competition.

"For nearly two months, I will be living at the pace of the competition within the committee, in the stadiums and at the operations center to regulate all medical aspects in the best possible way."

* Advanced Specialized Studies Diploma