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The 5Rs and New Research on Mental Health in Professional Rugby

Rugby Players Ireland, in collaboration with Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Derby, has today welcomed the publication of two new studies exploring the mental health of professional rugby players.

Published in PLOS Mental Health and Case Studies in Sport and Performance Psychology, the research evaluates the “5Rs of Rugby” programme, a collaborative initiative co-developed and delivered by Rugby Players Ireland to build mental health literacy, challenge stigma, and encourage help-seeking within elite rugby environments.

The 5Rs framework – Recognise, Reach Out, Refer, Remain Supportive, and Realities of Rugby – was introduced through workshops with all four Irish provincial squads during the 2023/24 season, when Rugby Players Ireland co-delivered mental health literacy initiatives in partnership with academic collaborators. Key findings across the two papers show that:

• Strong social norms already exist – most players are willing to support teammates facing mental health challenges, though awareness and confidence in how to do so can be strengthened.
• Context is critical – rugby’s unique high-pressure environment, with short careers, intense competition, and changing-room culture, demands tailored, collaborative interventions.
• Sustained action is essential – players and staff stressed that one-off sessions are not enough; ongoing engagement is needed to normalise conversations around mental health.

Dr Deirdre Lyons, Director of Player Development and Welfare at Rugby Players Ireland and co-author on both studies, said:

“The 5Rs of Rugby gives players a shared language to look out for each other and to seek help when it’s needed. This research shows the importance of trusted relationships – players are far more likely to open up when support comes from people they know. It underlines our commitment to building environments where players can thrive as people as well as athletes.”

Dr Robert Dempsey, Social Norms Researcher and Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Manchester Metropolitan University, who collaborated in the project and led the qualitative evaluation of the project, commented:

“The 5Rs project was the first use of the Social Norms Approach in a high-performance sports environment, uniquely focusing on players’ perceived and actual norms around help-seeking for their wellbeing. The strength of players’ social norms for supporting their team-mates was very striking and demonstrated how professional rugby can be a highly supportive environment. This collaborative project with RPI and the players shows the potential power of social norms in high-performance settings.”

Dr Philip Clarke, Senior Lecturer in Sport, Exercise and Performance Psychology at the University of Derby, who collaborated on the project and co-authored both studies, commented:

“The 5Rs project, underpinned by a Social Norms Approach, offered a shared framework to better understand and support elite Irish rugby players’ mental health literacy and help-seeking behaviours. What made this project distinctive was the genuine collaboration between researchers, practitioners, and players—evident in the co-design of the interventions and resources tailored to both rugby and the provinces respectively.

“These papers not only capture the lived experience of delivering mental health interventions in high-performance environments but also offer valuable reflections for future research and practice aimed at fostering psychologically safe and supportive cultures in elite sport.”

Both papers underline that bridging the gap between academic research and applied practice in elite sport is challenging but vital. The partnership between Rugby Players Ireland, Manchester Metropolitan University, and the University of Derby demonstrates how trusted collaboration can deliver meaningful impact for players and the wider sporting community.