Judge criticises solicitor acting on behalf of players with brain injury lawsuits

Steve Thompson was one of the first to be diagnosed with neurological problems in the case and is one of more than 1,000 players represented by Rylands Garth. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

The judge presiding over the two brain injury lawsuits in rugby league and union has issued an extraordinary criticism of the solicitor acting on behalf of the injured players, saying that he had been under a “misapprehension” about his responsibilities and that “he seems to have a problem with the English language”.

Senior master Jeremy Cook said that Richard Boardman, whose firm Rylands Garth is representing more than 1,000 players across both codes, had failed to disclose material to the defendants, World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union, the Welsh Rugby Union, and Rugby Football League.