Rugby’s head injury protocols have come in for renewed criticism after England’s 23-19 Six Nations victory over Wales on Saturday, with the player welfare group Progressive Rugby highlighting what it calls “systematic failures” in the process.
In the 19th minute at Twickenham two Welsh players, Tomas Francis and Owen Watkin, were involved with a collision with England’s Charlie Ewels as he charged for the try-line. The contact left Francis in particular showing signs of concussion. He was clearly dazed, and suffering with ataxia, symptoms that, according to World Rugby’s protocol, require a player to be immediately and permanently, removed from the game. But he played on.
