Thompson: Some days I can’t walk down stairs

WORLD Cup-winning England hooker Steve Thompson insists no level of the game can escape scrutiny in the bid to reduce the risk of players suffering life-threatening brain trauma.

Thompson, 42, is among eight former players, including fellow former internationals Alix Popham and Michael Lipman, who are preparing to launch a legal action against World Rugby, the RFU and WRU for negligence in failing to protect them against the risk of concussion.

Thompson, Popham and Lipman have been diagnosed with early-onset dementia and probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a neurodegenerative disease previously known as punch-drunk syndrome. All three have spoken of wild mood swings and memory loss.

While it is assumed that the legal proceedings will focus on the professional game, Thompson, who represented Northampton, Brive, Leeds and Wasps and was capped 76 times by England and the Lions, believes community and

Taking action: Steve Thompson and Alix Popham

junior rugby must also be examined.

Thompson told The Rugby Paper: “It’s got to filter down to the lower levels too, it’s not just got to be about the top guys. It’s got to be all the way down and while it’s going to be horrendous, there are going to be players at 22 or 23 who might have to stop playing rugby.

“Knowing what I’m experiencing, I’ll have no problem sitting down with a player and saying, ‘Do you want this?’ because I’m not going to be able to look after my kids properly or do normal stuff. I’m only 42, but I’m fighting this and the mental ups and downs are horrendous.

“There’s a lot more of your afterlife than there is of your rugby life, if you get what I mean, and it’s just not worth it. Some days I can’t even walk down the stairs properly and my kids will say, ‘Do you need help, dad?’ Some days I’m fine

but on others I can’t get off the sofa, so we’ve got to find ways to battle this and myself, Alix and the other guys are determined to do that.”

Thompson insists he has no desire to damage the game he loves but his emotional testimony in respect of the head trauma he now suffers offers a powerful antidote to those who suggest he ought to accept personal responsibility for playing rugby in the first place.

He explained: “I got told to play rugby because I was good at it, and that’s what I did. You’ve then got organisations around that who do the rules and make the game safe, so for me that’s what needs looking at more closely because you expect people to do their jobs.

“With me, the effects started with little things. I always felt I had a good memory but my wife started telling me I hadn’t done this or that. I’d argue, but then the kids would say, ‘Daddy, you’re wrong.’ When the family start ganging up on you, you start thinking about it.

“I’d walk to my van for some tools but then get there and forget which ones I wanted, or I’ll be talking to someone and just start staring at them, not take in what they are saying to me. It’s brutal what’s gone on and don’t want to play the blame game, but things must change.

“There’s no way I want to stop rugby altogether but we need to find ways to make it safer. Kids are training like professionals from an early age now and with all that testosterone flying about, all they want to do is run into lads and make big hits. But how much damage are they doing before they even get into a professional environment? That’s our big concern now.”

Thompson added: “We haven’t got all the answers but we’ve come up with 15 points where we think there should be change and for things to become a lot more professional, with people outside the game managing the medical side of it a lot more. We need to get rid of the old boys’ network and start doing things properly if we’re going to move rugby forward safely.”