y; at the same time, the amount of physical contact experienced by the forwards is reduced (Gissane et al., 1998). Gissane et al., 1997, has also found that the conversion from winter to summer rugby has brought with it an increase in the risk of injury. This change, along with the increasing professional demands of the sport means that there is an escelating demand for the efficient prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries.
             1.1 Types of Injury in Rugby League.
             An injury has been defined as a physical impairment received during a competitive match which prevented a player from being available for selection for the next competitive game (Gibbs, 1993), an incident which leads to at least one weeks absence from the game (Sparks, 1981), or any complaint for which players sought medical attention (Alexander et al, 1979).
             Rugby league injuries from direct trauma are common, as are twisting injuries and muscle/tendon injuries from indirect trauma (Gibbs, 1993). Sparks ,1981, found that compared to other school sports, not only is the incidence of injury greatest in rugby , but the injuries are more common and more severe. Gibbs, 1993, found that 53.9% of 141 injuries involved ligaments and joints, 21.3% involved muscles and tendons, 19.2% involved bone fractures, 4.9% involved the central or peripheral nervous system, and 0.7% involved an infected skin laceration. Gissane, 1998, found that there was a significantly greater risk of injury to the lower body (p<0.05) and, indeed, Gibbs, 1993, discovered that the lower limb accounted for over half of all of the injuries occuring in his study. Furthermore, the incidence of knee injuries was more than double that of the next most injured areas: the groin, the chest, the shoulder, and the spine.
             1.2 Vulnerability of the Knee Joint.
             The knee joint, depending on the sport, accounts for 25 to 70% of injuries reported (Hamill & Knutzen, 1995). The knee joint gives a fairly good co...