Former player suing over concussion.

[fentiger]

This is the link to the article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/ ... um=twitter

[Snorbins]

Will be interesting to see which this goes. Isn't there a doctor interested in concussion related to BOD?

[BeeJ]

Isn't there a doctor interested in concussion related to BOD?

I don't know about that but this player (Cillian Willis) is related to BO'D: they're cousins.

[Noggs]

Would there be some liability with respect to the Saffer player responsible for the high tackle? I'm not a legal eagle but logic would suggest that at the very least he or his club would share some of the responsibility were the Sale player to win his case.

[fentiger]

Could be the lid coming off the can of worms?

[darganj]

Will be interesting to see which this goes. Isn't there a doctor interested in concussion related to BOD?

Gary O'Driscoll, Brian's cousin.

Very outspoken on concussion, currently Arsenal club doctor.

He thinks NFL esque suing is on the way

[Noggs]

It's a really difficult one.

Presumably the case rests on the medics having got it wrong with respect to whether the player suffered concussion, otherwise, following the convention he would not have been allowed to return to the field. If this is the case I would have thought it is difficult to retrospectively review a clinical judgement and prove it was incorrect. Was the critical damage that led to the advice to stop playing as a result of the game in question or mainly/wholly the result of earlier damage?

[fortysix]

It is blatantly obvious that concussion can cause dementia , alzheimers, and brain tumours later in the players life.

Witness the amount of soccer players from the 50's and 60's suffering from heading the much heavier leather balls.

Insurance Companies will very soon put a lid on it all-and rugby as we know it will have to be heavily sanitised.

[jgriffin]

It is blatantly obvious that concussion can cause dementia , alzheimers, and brain tumours later in the players life.

Witness the amount of soccer players from the 50's and 60's suffering from heading the much heavier leather balls.

Insurance Companies will very soon put a lid on it all-and rugby as we know it will have to be heavily sanitised.

Getting rid of the breakdown and returning to the foot ruck would be a hell of a start. It would also speed up the game for the players, anything upping the aerobic content would help as it would lessen the ability to form defensive lines.

[The Boy Dave]

It is blatantly obvious that concussion can cause dementia , alzheimers, and brain tumours later in the players life.

Witness the amount of soccer players from the 50's and 60's suffering from heading the much heavier leather balls.

Insurance Companies will very soon put a lid on it all-and rugby as we know it will have to be heavily sanitised.

Getting rid of the breakdown and returning to the foot ruck would be a hell of a start. It would also speed up the game for the players, anything upping the aerobic content would help as it would lessen the ability to form defensive lines.

You seriously believe a return to foot rucking would be good for the game, I don't!
It would kill the game off completely IMO as the sport could kiss goodbye to it's T.V money and any decent amount of youth or amateur playing numbers!
Union needs the current laws enforcing strictly, diving angles at rucks with unbalanced players going off their feet before their feet have even passed the ball needs eradicating from the game as do late hits which encourage players to come in faster and harder, you tackle the man with the ball or not at all, this would sort the offside line out!

[Cardiff Tig]

Rolling away has been reffed pretty strictly the last couple of seasons - I don't see how foot rucking would make much of a difference.

Like TBD says, its the enforcement of the entry to the breakdown that needs looking at, and if the trend from this season continues then it seems like that is starting to be noticed properly by the refs as well.

[darganj]

It is blatantly obvious that concussion can cause dementia , alzheimers, and brain tumours later in the players life.

Witness the amount of soccer players from the 50's and 60's suffering from heading the much heavier leather balls.

Insurance Companies will very soon put a lid on it all-and rugby as we know it will have to be heavily sanitised.

Getting rid of the breakdown and returning to the foot ruck would be a hell of a start. It would also speed up the game for the players, anything upping the aerobic content would help as it would lessen the ability to form defensive lines.

A 1970s response from a 1970s player.

Solutions:

1. Turn off the clock for scrums. Props will soon realise its going to be a long, painful day if they keep mucking about resetting constantly while the clock is off. Increase the running requirement of players and the weight they can carry.

2. Increase the minimum size of a pitch

3. Police entry to a ruck hard and supporting body weight when jackaling.

4. Increase try scoring bonus point to two points to promote running rugby which will increase entertainment, reduce collisions and stress to body.

5. The most controversial one - Only a defending player may jump into the air to catch a ball. Attacking players are not allowed to leave their feet to catch a ball. Stop fullbacks getting horrific injuries

[jgriffin]

My troll follows me everywhere! Is it getting personal.....?
Perhaps I was emulating you by dangling a contentious proposition (no angling Smilie alas), but one with serious intent.
Engagement over the ball - yes
Charging - no
Your point 1 - Yes
Your point 2 - pointless
Your point 3 - brainless, exactly how is a jackal to be engaged instead of battered around vulnerable areas?
Point 4 - needs trialling to see if merit, at lower levels
Point 5 - no jumping allowed would make more sense...

PS played until 1995, 44 years old.

[darganj]

My troll follows me everywhere! Is it getting personal.....?
Perhaps I was emulating you by dangling a contentious proposition (no angling Smilie alas), but one with serious intent.
Engagement over the ball - yes
Charging - no
Your point 1 - Yes
Your point 2 - pointless
Your point 3 - brainless, exactly how is a jackal to be engaged instead of battered around vulnerable areas?
Point 4 - needs trialling to see if merit, at lower levels
Point 5 - no jumping allowed would make more sense...

PS played until 1995, 44 years old.

No jumping allowed is insane. Jumping in the air to catch a high kick is a defending fullback's saving grace from getting Courtney Lawes killing you on a 40m run up.

No jumping would result in maimed back three players. Defending players receiving kicks need that safety net

[The Boy Dave]

It is blatantly obvious that concussion can cause dementia , alzheimers, and brain tumours later in the players life.

Witness the amount of soccer players from the 50's and 60's suffering from heading the much heavier leather balls.

Insurance Companies will very soon put a lid on it all-and rugby as we know it will have to be heavily sanitised.

Getting rid of the breakdown and returning to the foot ruck would be a hell of a start. It would also speed up the game for the players, anything upping the aerobic content would help as it would lessen the ability to form defensive lines.

A 1970s response from a 1970s player.

Solutions:

1. Turn off the clock for scrums. Props will soon realise its going to be a long, painful day if they keep mucking about resetting constantly while the clock is off. Increase the running requirement of players and the weight they can carry.

2. Increase the minimum size of a pitch

3. Police entry to a ruck hard and supporting body weight when jackaling.

4. Increase try scoring bonus point to two points to promote running rugby which will increase entertainment, reduce collisions and stress to body.

5. The most controversial one - Only a defending player may jump into the air to catch a ball. Attacking players are not allowed to leave their feet to catch a ball. Stop fullbacks getting horrific injuries

It's actually a valid response to one of the main causes of an impact issue but if only the T.V cameras, watching parents and players who have work on a Monday morning could see the bigger picture.
The breakdown and the wider reaching implications on the game in union has slowly reached the current state since foot rucking was outlawed, it may not be the answer in todays game but if you think about it then it is certainly a part of the equation!