The spike in the number of high-profile injuries sustained by Premiership players could have been a result of the introduction of the global law changes, which has led to a more “attritional” form of rugby according to new research by the Rugby Football Union.

The RFU’s professional rugby department has compiled the data, which has been seen by Telegraph Sport, in response to growing concerns over the concerning trend that has led to many clubs without their best players for long periods of the season. The RFU will show the new data to World Rugby underlining the impact that is having on the game in this country and the effect it is having on the national set up as well.

Nigel Melville, the RFU’s director of professional rugby, commissioned the ‘game trends summary data’ in a bid to discover whether there was any direct link between the number of injuries and the introduction of the new laws in the northern hemisphere in August.

Professional Rugby Injuries Surveillance Project, a joint initiative between the RFU and the Premiership, is not expected to announce a significant rise overall in the number of injuries in comparison with the same period last season, although that may be due to late recording of them by the clubs.