Nelson Mail

Tackling concussion awareness head-on

- Matt Hampson

An injury doesn’t have to be “spectacula­r” to sustain a concussion, and knocks to head aren’t limited to to scrums and tackles.

Tasman Rugby Union will be spreading the word at about concussion awareness and looking after the brain post-injury at an event this month, with the help of one of the country’s leading headache experts.

Tasman Rugby Union referee administra­tor Stephen Caunter said he attended a talk last year in Nelson from Headache Clinic founder Helen Tufui.

Her message was “so good,” that the Community Rugby team decided more people across the top of the south, particular­ly those playing a contact sport, needed to hear it, Caunter said.

“Concussion is not just a rugby thing,” he said. “It’s across all sports, and that’s the objective, and hopefully the message is clear ... it doesn’t matter what sport you’re playing, understand­ing concussion and brain injury and how the brain repairs itself is quite important,” he said.

One of the on-field tools Tasman Rugby Union used to protect players from longterm head injury was the use of the “blue card,” introduced in the last decade for all Tasman rugby grades where a union referee was present.

Caunter said 30 blue cards were handed out across Nelson Bays and Marlboroug­h last season.

“Referees are trained to understand, in terms of looking out for what signs players may exhibit, if they’ve had a concussion or potential concussion or a head knock,” he said.

“And then they are armed now with the blue card to remove a player from the field, and so but the blue card then also initiates support and informatio­n, not only from New Zealand Rugby but from Tasman as well,” he said.

Tufui founded the Headache Clinic 10 years ago after having a concussion herself and suffering from persistent headaches.

The Getting Your Head Around Concussion informatio­n evening is free to attend, and will be held at the Waimea Old Boys clubrooms in Richmond at 6pm today.

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