I've been playing rugby since I was eight, I never thought about concussion - until now

When Ffion Jones started playing rugby at the age of eight, her focus was simply on doing her best for the team, despite regularly taking knocks to the head.

Now 22, she is one of 30 women taking part in a new study at Cardiff University examining the effects of repeated head impacts.

Jones said the lack of research on female athletes made the project "a really important step forward" and had changed how she thought about her health and future in the sport.

The study's lead researcher, Peter Theobald, said it was the first project of its kind focused on women, with some evidence suggesting female brains could be more vulnerable to injury.

Jones said she began playing rugby with boys in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, alongside her sister, Celyn, after their father, a coach, put them both on the team.

She said that, as a child, head injuries were not something she worried about.

"When I stepped onto the pitch, my focus was on playing the game and doing my best for the team," she said.

"If I took a knock to the head, I'd just get up and carry on. I've had a few knocks over the years, but nothing major.

"I always assumed everything would be fine."

Jones said the lack of research on female athletes has been a long-standing issue, which encouraged her to take part in the study.

"It isn't acceptable that things like head injury assessment protocols in rugby are largely based on data from men and then slightly adapted for women," she said.

"That's why it's so encouraging to see research finally looking specifically at the impact of head injuries on women."

The study followed 30 female rugby players across a full season, using specially-designed mouthguards to measure both the number and force of head impacts during matches.

Some participants also had detailed MRI scans to track any changes in the brain over time.

Jones said taking part in the study had changed her perspective, making her "think more carefully about my health".

"Now, if I take a blow to the head, I stop and think about whether I need to take a step back," she added.

As a university student, Jones explained how the research had highlighted the importance of brain health, particularly for studying and retaining information.

While the study made Jones more aware of the possible long-term effects of repeated head impacts, she said it would not stop her playing.

"The reality is that we still don't know enough about what repeated knocks to the head mean for women in the long term," she said.

Jones added that several teammates had suffered concussions which "affected their day-to-day lives", with one unable to return to rugby for about six months because of ongoing symptoms.

Among those welcoming the research were Year 8 pupils at Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf in Cardiff.

"It's good to have research on girls because boys often get more attention in sport," said Myfi, who plays for Clwb Rygbi Cymry Caerdydd.

Elin added: "Boys' and girls' bodies are very different, so it's important that research looks specifically at how these issues affect women."

Theobald said studies on male athletes had already linked contact sports with certain brain conditions, but a comparable long-term study "has never been done on women".

He added some evidence suggested women's brains could be more vulnerable to injury.

"With increasing numbers of women taking part in sport across the UK, there is an urgent need for research focused specifically on women to help inform future policies, safety guidance and sporting protocols," he said.

The aim, he said, was to give players clearer information about the risks of contact sports.

"We want to understand the effects of repeated head impacts much earlier than has been possible in the past," he said.

"We don't want today's female players to have to wait 20 years to find out whether they face greater risks than men."

Jones said she hoped the findings would encourage more girls and women to take up rugby.

"This research is incredibly important," she added.

"If I have children in the future, I'd like to know that research like this has been carried out so parents can feel more confident about their daughters playing the game."