Brain injury list of rugby players 'not workable'RSS Feed

Plans to create a list of rugby players in New Zealand who have experienced brain injuries have been scrapped, it is reported.

New Zealand Rugby Union chiefs considered setting up such a system but concluded that it would not be workable, states the Northern Advocate.

One man whose son suffered a serious head injury while playing rugby has told the news provider that the decision not to create a register could put the health and safety of players at risk.

A mandatory three-week stand-down for competitors who experience concussion may not be satisfactory in all cases, Mike Sabin warned.

He said: "For some it might be enough, for others it's like playing Russian roulette with five bullets."

Meanwhile, Hugh Godwin has suggested in an article in the Independent that the rugby union authorities need to take urgent action to minimise the risk of head injuries.

The full-time training programmes that came in when the sport went professional 15 years ago have resulted in stronger, faster players and increased the physical force of impact during tackles, Mr Godwin stated.

News brought to you by Serious Law, specialists in brain injury

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