I spoke to Canadian rugby legend Jamie Cudmore about the dangers of concussion for the Rugby Pass website
Tighter high-tackle laws put too much pressure on referees and Head Injury Assessments (HIAs) are not fit for purpose, Canadian rugby star Jamie Cudmore has warned.
The veteran lock, a committed campaigner for improvements in the recognition and treatment of concussion in rugby, is the latest in a long line of players, former players, medical experts and coaches to voice their concern over the change in protocols.
This weekend alone, Munster’s Conor Murray and Leinster’s Jonathan Sexton returned to play after suffering suspected head injuries in European Champions Cup games.
European Professional Club Rugby, the organisation that runs the two European competitions, is reportedly so concerned about the impartiality of club medical staff that they are considering independent match-day doctors from the quarter-final stage of the tournament.
Cudmore said: “I see where World Rugby is trying to go – they’re trying to make the game safer. But it seems to me they’re just trying to cover their asses in case there is, eventually, an NFL-type class-action lawsuit.”
James Harrington: Freelance sports journalist 