Six more ex-players seek action

RETIRED England and Wales rugby union internationals are among six former players suffering from concussion-related health problems to have joined a lawsuit against the game.

A pre-action letter of claim was on Thursday morning delivered to World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union and Welsh Rugby Union on behalf of nine players being represented by Rylands Law.

In addition to England forwards Steve Thompson and Michael Lipman and Wales flanker Alix Popham, 30-year-old Wales Under-20 and former Exeter Chiefs centre Adam Hughes and 44-year-old England Under21 back row Neil Spence have also chosen to sue.

Four of the six new claimants have asked to remain anonymous, but it is believed they include one former England and one former Wales international.

Thompson revealed last week that he has no recollection of taking part in the 2003 World Cup triumph in Australia because of the brain injuries sustained during his career.

The basis of the claim made on behalf of the nine test cases - Rylands Law say they are talking to over 130 more retired players - is that the sport’s governing bodies failed to provide sufficient protection from the risks caused by concussion.

Hughes has been diagnosed with having brain injuries and post-concussion symptoms since his career was ended in 2018, while the remaining eight have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury, early onset dementia and probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

CTE is a progressive degenerative disease of the brain found in people with a history of repetitive brain trauma and was previously known as punch drunk syndrome and dementia pugilistica.

Rylands Law alleges that the risks of concussions and sub-concussive injuries were “known and foreseeable” and lists 24 failures on the part of World Rugby, RFU and WRU.