Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
World World
NZ NZ
Back

RugbyPass+

+

Billy Twelvetrees: 'Ed started pre-season with us and and nine months on he’s really struggling. Jesus Christ.'

The former England and Lions centre, leaves Kingsholm a legend after over a decade's service, and in that time he has matured into a man

RugbyPass+ Home

Two more players join concussion lawsuit against rugby authorities

By PA
Jason Hobson /Getty Images

Former England international Jason Hobson and retired Exeter Chiefs hooker Neil Clarke have joined the lawsuit against World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union and the Welsh Rugby Union.

ADVERTISEMENT

Hobson and Clarke are now among 175 former players who have started legal action against the governing bodies over their alleged failure to protect players from the risks of concussion.

Both men have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury, early onset dementia and probable CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) following their careers in the sport which ended in retirement in 2014.

Video Spacer

We predict the winner of the first Test:
Video Spacer
We predict the winner of the first Test:

They join the legal fight along with 2003 World Cup winner Steve Thompson, who says he has no memory of competing in that tournament for England, Michael Lipman, Alix Popham, Adam Hughes, Neil Spence, Dan Scarbrough, Lenny Woodard and many others who wish to remain anonymous.

Hobson said: “I don’t know what is around the corner and it does scare me. Your notepad wouldn’t be thick enough to list all the injuries I had.

“I knew there would be physical issues but not for one second did I think there would be a possible brain damage outcome of just playing and training.

“In 10 years I could be in a home. I could have full dementia, not just forgetting a few words here or there.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Clarke added: “I knew something wasn’t right [before the diagnosis]. My concentration levels, I was forgetting things, losing my train of thought, the constant ringing in my ears. All these little things would wind me up and I would lose my temper.

“This isn’t about a financial reward for getting brain damage by any means. But who knows how bad this is going to be? Who knows who’s going to be left on their own?”

Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Join Free
ADVERTISEMENT
TRENDING
TRENDING London Irish owner turned down 'two or three' offers to buy club London Irish owner turned down 'two or three' offers to buy club
Search