The International Rugby Board and Welsh Rugby Union have admitted their concern after a BBC Wales investigation revealed the under-reporting of head injuries in the game.
Tonight’s (Tues BBC1 Wales) Week In Week Out programme investigates the injury risks facing players at all levels in the game.
It questioned lower league players about whether they report concussion injuries in line with the governing body’s rules. Those instruct players to tell club officials if they suffer symptoms of concussion. Symptoms include headaches, memory loss, and an inability to concentrate. If concussion is diagnosed they should not play for three weeks.
But the programme found that isn’t always happening. It questioned 75 players from six clubs in Wales and asked if they’d suffered concussion during last season and what they had done about it. There were 91 suspected concussion incidents but only 14 were reported by players – the equivalent of just 1 in 5.
The programme also highlights an absence of recorded data for injuries suffered by Welsh players, except for those where an insurance compensation claim is anticipated.
Sean Gilbertson of Llantrisant RFC is a player who tells the programme he regularly suffers concussions and doesn’t report them.
He estimates he suffered around eight concussions last season and admits: “My wife keeps on at me to stop playing and she’s annoyed with me coming home with bad heads. Sometimes, the next day I’m struggling as well and on the Monday I’m feeling a bit groggy, so I am worried.
“But the rugby player mentality is they get injured, that’s part of the game and they carry on playing.”
The IRB recently set up a working party to advise on best practice relating to concussion and intend to begin an education programme.
But Steve Griffiths, the IRB’s head of technical services, admitted Week In Week Out’s figures were a concern. He says: “That’s very concerning that players are not being honest with themselves because they’re damaging themselves.
“But you’ve got to take into consideration these are people making decisions for themselves and they should be making that decision on an informed basis and at the moment I suspect they’re not.”
WRU chairman David Pickering also tells the programme that the figures were a cause for anxiety.
He says: “Of course it worries me in terms of they should be fully aware of their own responsibilities.
“Everybody has a duty of care to look after themselves and if there are issues of concussion then the right process should take place and we’ve got the guidelines for doing that.
“But, of course, you’ve got to accept that at community level you must take responsibility for your actions as well.”
Week In Week Out BBC One Wales 10.35pm Tuesday 27th July
