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URC branded 'irresponsible' over damaging video mocking concussion

(Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Long-serving Cardiff winger Aled Summerhill has called out the United Rugby Championship (URC) after they published a video on social media mocking the concussion he recently sustained when playing away to the Lions in South Africa. The Welsh region were beaten 37-20 in Johannesburg on March 13 in an encounter that left the 27-year-old lying prone on the ground following an attempted tackle on Edwill van der Merwe. 

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Ahead of this weekend’s latest round of URC matches, the tournament’s social media team published a video of the tackle on TikTok that was titled “Goodnight” with a “zzzz” inputted on the footage after Summerhill fell to the ground with a concussion following the collision.      

Summerhill called out the damning video on Twitter, writing: “Really didn’t think head injuries were something to joke about with all that’s going on with it within the sport,  there we are then @URCOfficial.”

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What happens inside the brain during a concussion | Beyond 80 Knocked

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What happens inside the brain during a concussion | Beyond 80 Knocked

His tweet ignited a social media storm in which the URC were roundly condemned for its insensitivity. URC CEO Martin Anayi replied: “This should NEVER have gone up, we are investigating now with our social media agency – it has been removed – we take player safety very seriously indeed.”

The URC, meanwhile, tweeted two replies to Summerhill. “We’d like to apologise unreservedly to Aled, his family & club for this post. Injuries are not to be made light of & our oversight processes around publishing wasn’t good enough. The original post has been removed & we will take immediate action ensuring this never occurs again.”

 

The second tweet apologising to the Cardiff player read: “We recognise that the content was not in line with our values. Apologies to Aled again and we hope you have a speedy recovery!” Progressive Rugby, the concussion awareness group, called the original post irresponsible and damaging. “150,000+ followers and a platform to thrill, educate and grow the game. And they choose to post this? Irresponsible and damaging.”

Meanwhile, Rob Williams summed up the mood of rugby fans on Twitter who replied to the post that Summerhill published calling out the URC over its terrible joke about concussion. “That is utterly appalling. Who could possibly judge that as in any way appropriate? Hey parents, encourage your kids to play this sport where being knocked unconscious is trivialised!”

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The controversy arose on the same day that the International Rugby Players’ union released a statement confirming they had queried World Rugby and the Six Nations about high-profile concussion incidents that took place during the championship.

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J
JW 40 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

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