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The 'heartbreaking' Twitter reaction to harrowing Cattigan story
An extraordinary interview with the family of the late Siobhan Cattigan, the Scotland women’s rugby player who died in November 2021 at the age of 26, has generated a huge reaction on Twitter. The harrowing piece in The Sunday Times recounted how the back-rower suffered repeated head injuries and ultimately passed away eight months ago, resulting in her family joining the brain injury lawsuit against World Rugby and other governing bodies.
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“As time went by, I likened it to dementia because I couldn’t think of anything that would change a personality so massively, something that completely alters you as a person,” explained Morven, the mother of ex-Scotland player Cattigan, in the compelling newspaper interview. “Siobhan was crumbling before our eyes and something catastrophic had happened in her brain.”
Her father Neil added: “What I’ve said to a couple of my closest friends is that I’m broken and I can’t be fixed. The man they knew is no longer alive. That’s how I am, it’s how we are. I have lost the better part of me, and it’s broken my life.
“Morven has lost her soulmate, the girl she loved more than life itself, and Marc’s lost his wee sister. Ann’s lost her partner. We’ve lost our hero. We will never be the same again. We don’t want to be because if we didn’t feel this pain, we wouldn’t have loved her as much as we do. That’s why we struggle to live, we’re just existing.
“Now I know what was wrong, now I could have told Siobhan what it was. If I was a doctor, I would have known. If I knew guys who had suffered this, they could have tapped me on the shoulder and told me, but I didn’t. We always thought we had tomorrow. They fixed her broken bones but turned their backs on Siobhan’s broken brain.
? EXCLUSIVE: It was Siobhan Cattigan’s dream to play rugby for Scotland. She died just three years after that dream came true. For the first time, her grief-stricken family and partner tell her story https://t.co/JC6RWhHqri
— Times Sport (@TimesSport) July 30, 2022
“Believing it was avoidable, knowing that you trusted people you shouldn’t have trusted, it just compounds my guilt. Part of my plan was to work for 30 years, pay into my pension, retire, see the world, make sure the kids are OK. None of it matters anymore. We’ve lost such a vital part of ourselves, the best part of ourselves. It feels wrong that we’re here and she’s not.
“I was the one who brought rugby into this family, and the reason why she started playing was because she was with me. Rugby gave her the happiest days and memories – and ultimately rugby is why she’s not here.”
The anguish of the Cattigan family has understandably ignited many reactions online. Progressive Rugby, the concussion awareness group, tweeted: “Just 26 and so much life to live. It’s impossible to read Siobhan Cattigan’s story and not question how this was allowed to happen. And feel angry. Angry at the confusion, desperation and isolation her family endured as she crumbled before their eyes.”
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“As time went by, I likened it to dementia,” Morven says, “because I couldn’t think of anything that would change a personality so massively, something that completely alters you as a person” pic.twitter.com/6Uk9THERmu
— Times Sport (@TimesSport) July 30, 2022
Just 26 and so much life to live.
It’s impossible to read Siobhan Cattigan’s story and not question how this was allowed to happen.
And feel angry.
Angry at the confusion, desperation and isolation her family endured as she crumbled before their eyes.https://t.co/jZhbIPnbpa
— Progressive Rugby (@ProgressiveRug) July 31, 2022
Siobhan Cattigan story of what happened to her on a phone call in January with her father Neil was one of the hardest conversations I had in my life, she suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury playing for Scotland (Not a Sports Concussion)this can never happen again ??????
— Alix Popham (@AlixPopham) July 30, 2022
The SRU's default response in moments of crisis is to deflect, attack the messenger, dig out the whitewash. That simply won't cut it this time. I hope they appreciate just what is at stake here. Perhaps then some basic human empathy can belatedly emerge https://t.co/IfCKqBtOnk
— Mark Palmer (@MarkPalmerST) July 31, 2022
Every report of a rugby player suffering from brain damage is devastating. And then there is this one about Siobhan Cattigan. A tragedy to make you weep. https://t.co/3KZs6f6yOD
— Peter Jackson (@JackoRugby) July 31, 2022
This devastating, agonising story on the late Siobhan Cattigan by my colleague @DavidWalshST demands a comprehensive reaction from SRU. https://t.co/r5qiZCL24D
— Stephen Jones (@stephenjones9) July 31, 2022
Heartbreakingly sad, solidarity and strength to those that knew and loved Siobhan Cattigan, she sounds like a proper warrior woman, xhttps://t.co/OlmjIQP9rR
— Le_Sorelle_Arduino KPSS (@Sorelle_Arduino) July 31, 2022
@DavidWalshST ‘s heart rending, and scarcely believable story on Siobhan Cattigan and the @Scotlandteam ‘s shocking treatment of this amazing young woman makes for devastating reading.
— Baz Ryan ?? (@ryan_baz) July 31, 2022
This is utterly heartbreaking. There must be an urgent independent review of how Siobhan & the Cattigan family were treated by the SRU.
We’ve talked on the pod before about how the SRU have been ahead of other unions in dealing with brain injuries but maybe that’s not the case https://t.co/ubeyAUWAQg
— Scottish Rugby Podcast ????? (@ScotRugbyPod) July 30, 2022
Felt sick reading this, a disgrace the way Siobhan Cattigan and her family have been treated.
Utterly heartbreaking. https://t.co/elfvSA4a3G
— Rory Hamilton (@rory_hamiltonnn) July 31, 2022
@DavidWalshST A great article on Siobhan Cattigan and one that shames a lot of people. A shocking way to treat a young person and their family.
— Gary Forbes (@garyforbes_gary) July 31, 2022
Comments on RugbyPass
The rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
69 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
9 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
9 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
2 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to comments