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World Rugby urged to follow RFL lead and change concussion protocol

By PA
Aaron Woods of the Sharks has blood coming from a head cut during the round three NRL match between the Parramatta Eels and Cronulla Sharks at Bankwest Stadium on March 27, 2021 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

World Rugby has been urged to follow the lead of rugby league in the fight to reduce the effect of repeated head knocks.

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The Rugby Football League has extended return-to-play protocols which mean players who fail concussion tests in matches or at training must now wait at least 11 days before playing again.

That is up from seven days while in elite rugby union the minimum requirement remains at six.

Progressive Rugby, a lobby group formed to lead the bid to tackle the issue of serious head and brain injury, is hoping the move will prompt officials of the 15-man code to take similar action.

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Professor Bill Ribbans, of behalf of Progressive Rugby, said: “We applaud the RFL for addressing the game’s graduated return-to-play protocol (GRTP) and sending a strong message that playing a contact sport within a week of suffering a concussion is no longer acceptable.

“To World Rugby, we re-iterate our call for an initial amendment to the GRTP so that players are stood down for a minimum period of 12 days and hope that the RFL’s decision may provide the impetus to do so.”

Former England forward James Haskell, a prominent member of the group, added on social media: “Well done Rugby league! Turns out you can make instant changes. Come on @WorldRugby.

“Times a ticking. If you want to put me in charge I will show you how to change it all in a few days.”

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M.W.Keith 1 hour ago
'Let's not sugarcoat it': Former All Black's urgent call to protect eligibility rules

I understand that there are choices to be made in professional sports and choices have consequences, but it does seem strange that a professional athlete who plies their trade in order to make a living cannot represent their country at test level. All talk of loyalty and so on is an outdated argument, we live in a global economy. It makes the armchair critic feel nice and so on, chatting smack about loyalty to a jersey and so on, but to think that someone like Mounga is not loyal to NZ just bc he is taking a paycheck - which as a professional athlete he is entitled to do - is a quite silly. No one is calling PSDT or Handre Pollard disloyal to SA bc they are taking a better paycheck somewhere else. No one accuses Cheslin Kolbe of being disloyal to the Green and Gold just because he missed out on years of eligibility by playing in France. Since Rassie opened the selection policy, the overseas players have more than proved their worth. Anyone who says otherwise is deluded and is living in an outdated version of reality. South Africans understand that the ZAR is worth very little and so no one in the country criticises a South African for leaving to find better economic opportunities elsewhere.


This is the same for anyone, anywhere. If there is an economic opportunity for someone to take, should they lose national privilege because they are looking for a better paycheck somewhere else? What a silly idea. The government doesn't refuse your passport because you work in another country, why should you lose your national jersey for this? If a player leaves to a so-called lesser league and their ability to represent their national jersey at a high level diminishes bc of it, then that should say it all. If Mounga were to return to the ABs and his playmaking is better than D-Mac and BB, then he is the better player for the position. If BB and D-Mac eclipse him, then they are the better players and should get the nod. Why is this so difficult to understand? Surely you want the best players to play in the national team, regardless of who pays their monthly salary? Closing borders is historically a silly economic idea, why should it be any different in national level sports?


The old boys tradition in rugby has created a culture of wonderful sportsmanship, it is why we all (presumably) prefer the game to football. But when tradition gets in the way of common sense and sporting success, perhaps traditions should change. Players have the right to earn money, there is no need to punish them for it. Rugby needs to think globally if it wants to survive.

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