Ewels: Rugby medical protocols can adapt to help protect player welfare
Bath captain Charlie Ewels feels rugby medical protocols will continue to develop to help limit the long-term impact of concussion injuries. Planned legal action from an initial group of seven ex-international players – including 2003 England World Cup winner Steve Thompson – is being taken against the rugby authorities for “failure to protect (the claimants) from the risks caused by concussions”.
Thompson, 42, has been diagnosed with early onset dementia, and revealed he cannot recall his part in England’s glorious campaign in Australia 17 years ago.
England second-row Ewels has been through his own experiences of an enforced period out through concussion.
The 25-year-old believes the game can continue to adapt both on and off the pitch to help protect player welfare.
“Maybe in the past there was a pre-conception around concussions, that you could play on, but I know now speaking from a players’ point of view that you don’t mess with that stuff,” said Ewels, who is set to lead Bath into their opening game of the Heineken Champions Cup against Scarlets on Saturday.
“There is more to life than rugby and if you haven’t got your brain health when you retire, then that is no good.
“The protocols are in place and I trust the game is looking at the latest science all the time. In my own experiences, going through stuff, I felt really well looked after.”
Ewels has 17 international caps, and started against Georgia in the Autumn Nations Cup.
He added: “When you look at old footage, the hits are getting bigger and bigger, the game is getting quicker, but ultimately the sport we play is a collision, confrontational sport.
“As much as possible we want to mitigate how many concussions we get, which they have done in terms of the rules of tackle heights, and how you are allowed to carry, guys have worked on tackle technique more.
“There is only so much you can do to protect the guys within the game which we play, but the most important one is when someone suffers concussion, it is how well they are looked after then.
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“It is those back-to-back concussions where you can start to have long-term problems.
“I think the game will keep revolving, keep changing, to try to make it safer and safer, while still keeping the core elements of a contact sport in there.
“Even in the short time I have been in the game, what has come a long way is once you have had concussions is the protocols you go through and how you are looked after.”
Bath director of rugby Stuart Hooper admitted it was “pretty harrowing” to read the reports over Thompson’s condition.
The 39-year-old former Saracens, Leeds and Bath prop believes rugby has made great strides in aiming to give players all the possible protection.
'There’s nothing to suggest what’s happened to Steve and Alix and Michael won’t happen to current and future generations'https://t.co/DNw2OweFQ5
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“There is an awful lot in the game now to make it a very safe game,” said Hooper, who maintained full-collision in training was “absolutely limited”.
“I believe the game is safe and the players playing it right now have not only the right protocols and procedures around them, but there is also a high degree of education over concussions and head injury.”
On his own playing experiences, Hooper said: “I had 17 years playing in the Premiership, and always felt very well protected from a head injury perspective.”
Bath back-row forward Josh Bayliss admits the issue of dealing with concussion is a concern.
'He wasn’t going at 100 per cent. I thought he would come off, but they kept him out there for 80 minutes'https://t.co/EAqoT8ifiH
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The 23-year-old said: “It is a worry, it is scary, but I would like to think the way the game is going, with the research going into it, actually the risks are being mitigated as much as they possibly can be.
“My love for rugby is more than worrying about the risks that come with it later on at this stage.
“When it gets to the point that the risks outweigh my love for rugby, that is when I will sort of start to have a serious think about it.
“But it is definitely something which is at the forefront of everybody’s mind.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Brayden Iose and Peter Lakai are very exciting Super Rugby players but are too short and too light to ever be a Test 8 vs South Africa, France, Ireland, and England, Lakai could potentially be a Test player at 7 if he is allowed to focus on 7 for Hurricanes.
5 Go to commentsPencils “Thomas du Toit” into possible 2027 Bok squad.
1 Go to commentsDon’t see why Harrison makes the bench. Jones can play at 10 if needed, and there is a good case for starting her there to begin with if testing combinations. That would leave room for Sing on the bench
1 Go to commentsWhat a load of old bull!
1 Go to commentsOf the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.
29 Go to commentsIrish Rugby CEO be texting Andy Farrell “Andy, i found our next Kiwi Irishman”
5 Go to commentsI certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
5 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
2 Go to commentsThere’s a bit of depth there but realistically Australian players have a long way to go to now catch up. The game is moving on fast and Australia are falling behind. Australian sides still don’t priories the breakdown like they should, it’s a non-negotiable if you want to compete on the international stage. That goes for forwards and backs. The Australian team could have a back row that could make a difference but the problem is they don’t have a tight five that can do the business. Tupou is limited in defence, overweight and unfit and the locks are a long way from international standard. Frost is soft and Salakai-Loto is too small so that means they need a Valentini at 8 who has to do the hard graft so limits the effectiveness of the backrow. Schmidt really needs to get a hard working, tough tight 5 if he wants to get this team firing.
3 Go to commentsSorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
2 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to commentsSimple reason for wanting him back. Robertson wants him as captain. Otherwise he wouldn’t be bothering chasing him. Not enough reason to come back just to mentor.
10 Go to comments