The gum shield is the most important piece of equipment a rugby player should own.

The gum shield not only protects your teeth and gums, it can reduce damage around the jaw and your chances of getting concussed.

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 make sure the shield is right for your mouth.

The other type of gum shield is the "boil in the bag" type which is moulded using hot water.

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