SCOTS JOIN RUGBY DEMENTIA BATTLE

++ 10 former Scottish players in talks with group seeking compensation ++ SRU could face legal fight

TEN former Scottish rugby players have been in talks with the lawyers behind the multi-million pound legal action against World Rugby, the RFU and WRU over the current dementia crisis.

Although they will not be involved in the current action, their involvement at a later date could see the SRU also forced to defend themselves in court.

Former England international Steve Thompson — who can’t remember playing in the 2003 World Cup final win over

Australia — is part of the initial group who claim repeated blows to the head playing rugby has brought on early onset dementia.

Richard Boardman of Rylands Law, the company representing the initial eight claimants including Thompson, has now told Sportsmail they have been in discussions with Scottish players who felt they had suffered in a similar way to the former England star.

‘There are 110 others (players) that we

have been in discussion with from all over the world and ten are from Scotland,’ said Boardman. ‘They are not involved in the first-class action that is on the go but they are likely to be involved later. Some on the list played their rugby in Scotland which means their actions would be against their home union, the Scottish Rugby Union, and World Rugby.’ Deputy chairman Bernard Laporte defended

World Rugby on Monday, saying: ‘We don’t know the contents (of the case). World Rugby has been doing a lot in terms of player welfare and safety. I was impressed with the work done on the health and safety of players when I joined World Rugby four years ago. ‘We are a model in terms of research, innovation and mastering this area.’ The SRU last night declined to comment when approached by Sportsmail.