The game has changed from part-time players, training occasionally with weights made from a scaffold pole in two concrete filled paint pots and running a few laps of the pitch, to full time players with nutrition plans and stats based training programmes. Forwards have gone from big plodders to muscle bound athletes, and wingers from wiry racing snakes to powerhouses (no disrespect to those players of the eras that fall outside the stereotype). The magic sponge has been replaced by doctors and full time physios, and player welfare come to the forefront.

We can't change what's happened to past-players, but we can by sympathetic to their needs and ailments, and trust that recent measures (and adaptations forthwith) give us a safe and sustainable sport.

I can see head protection like Hilly used to wear being compulsory soon. As for the payouts, Warren Stevens must be due a 7 figure sum.

Unfortunately 'scrum caps' don't prevent the brain hitting the inside of the skull, which seems to be the issue.

My thoughts exactly Smiffy, but also can't ignore them either. So it's a dodgy situation.

Are Frank Warren or Eddie Hearn on the hook for the same in pro boxing? What about MME?

Pretty sure some forms of CTE were known from boxing in the 50s, and they started looking at it in the early 00s off the back of nfl players.

Will smiths movie came out in 2015 though

Pretty sure it's being mentioned in soccer too regards heading the ball.

It's all tinged with sadness because there's blokes and families out there who have early onset dementia in their 50's.

It's not as though you can argue that you didn't know rugby was a contact sport before embarking on a career though and the RFL can demonstrate in recent years it's making changes and progress on head injuries.

Exactly. Maybe it's just a very sad and unfortunate outcome and nobody is to blame for any failure of duty of care as the link has only been established after the event.

I think one immediate and reasonable change would be to have HIA’s conducted by an independent body. At the minute, club doctors conduct pre-season baseline assessments and the in-match assessments. While I’m not questioning their integrity, they are on the payroll of the organisation who need their “assets” on the pitch.

If the RFL conducted/appointed independent specialist doctors to conduct ALL of the HIA assessments, both pre-season, sporadic review in season and for in game knocks, they could ensure true independence to the tests. Which, if nothing else, would be a mitigation further down the line for future cases.

What about you...?



I agree though. Kneeling over somebody stricken landing bare fist punches. Some sport that.

Sounds made for Ben Flower.....