Brendan Gallagher

Brendan Gallagher: Core question is – why were protocols relaxed?

Brendan Gallagher examines rugby’s long history of concussion awareness and questions the suggestion that players were unaware of the potential dangers, before highlighting the key issue around the sport’s changing duty of care.

by
Brendan Gallagher
30 August 2026

It is just possible in my working lifetime that a judgment will be made on the group claim being made by former players against World Rugby and various Unions over alleged brain damage due to alleged negligence by said Unions. But I’m not holding my breath.

It’s taken five years for the claimants even to get to the starting line after repeatedly missing various court deadlines and failing to produce the level of documentation and medical records required by High Courts.
In rugby terms, they are more than a tad lucky not to have already been shown a red card.
Documentation was always going to ...

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