Footnotes

• Twitter @23benjones, @drkeithstokes, @drsimonkemp

• Contributors BJ, GP, KAS and SK conceptualised the initial TS-REF framework. BJ and GP conceptualised the initial draft of the TS-REF-2. BJ, GP, MC, KAS and SK developed and finalised the TS-REF-2 framework, and developed online supplemental table 1. CB, BJ and GP developed online supplemental table 2. BJ and GP drafted the manuscript. CB, JC, MC, NP, CR, JS, KAS and SK provided reviews and editing of the manuscript. All authors critically reviewed and edited the manuscript prior to submission.

• Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

• Competing interests BJ and GP are employed in a consultancy capacity by the Rugby Football League. KAS and SK are employed by the Rugby Football Union. MC is employed by Premiership Rugby. CR is employed by South Africa Rugby Union. GP, JC and JS are employed by Public Health England.

• Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

• Supplemental material This content has been supplied by the author(s). It has not been vetted by BMJ Publishing Group Limited (BMJ) and may not have been peer-reviewed. Any opinions or recommendations discussed are solely those of the author(s) and are not endorsed by BMJ. BMJ disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on the content. Where the content includes any translated material, BMJ does not warrant the accuracy and reliability of the translations (including but not limited to local regulations, clinical guidelines, terminology, drug names and drug dosages), and is not responsible for any error and/or omissions arising from translation and adaptation or otherwise.