Dr Seren Evans
Research Associate in Rugby Union Injury Surveillance
Overview
Research Associate, World Rugby: Welsh Injury Surveillance in Girls Youth Rugby project, investigating the impact of injury risk in young female athletes from grassroots to international levels of play.
Lecturer, Sport Health and Exercise Science: Module Organiser for MSc Exercise is Medicine on Bangor University's Exercise Rehabilitation course, teaching about principles of exercise testing and prescription in clinical populations.
Physiotherapist, WRU/RGC: Providing physiotherapy care for Regional Age Grade Male and Female players at Under 18s.
Qualifications
- BSc: Physiotherapy
Wrexham Glyndŵr University, 2021–2024 - PhD: A multifactorial approach to injury risk in Senior Academy Rugby Union
2018–2023 - BSc: Sport, Health and Exercise Science
Bangor University, 2015–2018
Publications
2025
- PublishedHow AI can predict rugby injuries before they happen
Evans, S. & Owen, J., 22 Jan 2025, The Conversation.
Research output: Contribution to specialist publication › Article - Published‘The Hidden Cost of the Game’: Breast Injury and Breast Pain in U18 International Female Rugby Players
Kirby, E., Jones, M., Evans, S., Gottwald, V. & Owen, J., 26 Jun 2025.
Research output: Contribution to conference › Abstract › peer-review
2024
- PublishedArtificial Intelligence for Sport Injury Prediction
Owen, R., Owen, J. & Evans, S., 2 Sept 2024, Artificial Intelligence in Sports, Movement and Health. Dindorf, C., Bartaguiz, E., Gassmann, F. & Fröhlich, M. (eds.). 1 ed. Springer, p. 69-79
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review - PublishedExploring factors influencing success within the WRU developmental pathway: A multidisciplinary, longitudinal approach.
Lowe, G., Evans, S., Gottwald, V., Jones, E. & Owen, J., 2 Jul 2024.
Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster › peer-review - PublishedNon-contact lower limb injuries in Rugby Union: a two-year pattern recognition analysis of injury risk factors
Evans, S., Owen, R., Whittaker, G., Davis, O. E., Jones, E., Hardy, J. & Owen, J., 8 Jul 2024.
Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster › peer-review - PublishedNon-contact lower limb injuries in Rugby Union: A two-year pattern recognition analysis of injury risk factors
Evans, S., Owen, R., Whittaker, G., Davis, O. E., Jones, E., Hardy, J. & Owen, J., 24 Oct 2024, In: PLoS ONE. 19, 10, p. e0307287 e0307287.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - PublishedThe prevalence, mechanism, and reporting behaviours of breast injury in international under-18 women’s rugby union players
Kirby, E., Jones, M., Evans, S., Gottwald, V. & Owen, J., 8 Jul 2024.
Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster › peer-review
2023
- PublishedInjury surveillance in female youth rugby union: A pilot study in the community sport setting
Chandy, T., Evans, S., Gottwald, V. & Owen, J., 16 May 2023.
Research output: Contribution to conference › Abstract › peer-review - PublishedNoncontact injury distribution and relationship with preseason training load and non-modifiable risk factors in Rugby Union players across multiple seasons
Evans, S., Whittaker, G., Davis, O. E., Jones, E., Hardy, J. & Owen, J., Jul 2023, In: Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 37, 7, p. 1456-1462 7 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review - PublishedRugby injuries: how pre-season training can help players avoid the sidelines
Evans, S. & Owen, J., 9 Mar 2023, The Conversation.
Research output: Contribution to specialist publication › Article
2022
- PublishedMatch and training injury risk in semi-professional rugby union: a four-year study
Evans, S., Davis, O. E., Jones, E. S., Hardy, J. & Owen, J., 3 May 2022, In: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. 25, 5, p. 379-384
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Activities
2025
- University of Limerick
Our Rugby Knowledge Exchange group were invited to the University of Limerick to visit the Irish Rugby Injury Surveillance (IRIS) group and staff from the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) to present our latest research in player welfare in rugby union.
20 Jan 2025 – 23 Jan 2025
Activity: Visiting an external academic institution (Visiting researcher)
2024
- Welsh Rugby Union: Game Changers Conference
Invited to attend the inaugural conference of the WRU Women and Girls in Rugby Union Game Changers Conference.
26 Apr 2024
Activity: Participation in Academic conference (Participant) - Women's U18 Six Nations Rugby Player Welfare Project
Female Rugby Player Welfare Project
29 Mar 2024 – 6 Apr 2024
Links:
Activity: Participation in Academic workshop, seminar, course (Participant)
2023
- Injury surveillance in female youth rugby union: A pilot study in the community sport setting
BASEM Research Bursary Prize Presentation.
6 Oct 2023
Activity: Invited talk (Speaker) - Welsh Injury Surveillance in Girls Youth Rugby Engagement Film
As part of the World Rugby funded research project examining injury risk, staff at the School of Psychology and Sport Science engaged with some 300 female rugby players across the nine Welsh Rugby Union female hubs in north Wales and commissioned a bilingual film to capture the spirit of female youth rugby in the region. The follow-on project resulting from this collaboration will be the World Rugby funded Welsh Injury Surveillance in Girls Youth Rugby project (WISGYR).
1 Jul 2023 – 30 Sep 2024
Links:
Activity: Types of Public engagement and outreach - Festival/Exhibition (Contributor)