The most important piece of protective equipment a rugby player should own.

The gum shield not only protects your teeth and gums during physical contact, it can reduce damage around the jaw and concussion.

As every mouth is different, so every gum shield should be moulded to fit perfectly around the top half of a player's mouth.

The best way of doing this is to go and see your dentist, who will ensure the shield is right for your mouth.

The other type of gum shield widely available are the "boil in the bag" variety which are moulded using hot water.

Put the warm shield in your mouth and suck on it for about three minutes until it has moulded to the shape of your upper teeth.