Damages for Hankin over blow on head by teammate
NEWS EXTRA
FORMER Saracens prospect Matt Hankin has been awarded an undisclosed settlement after an ex-teammate hit him on the head with a fire extinguisher, resulting in his eventual retirement.
Former England U20 flanker Hankin appeared set for stardom when he was part of the first England team to win the Junior World Championship in 2013.
Hankin, 28, sued prop Richard Barrington – who remains part of Mark McCall's Sarries squad – after the club veteran ‘tapped' him on the head during a team-bonding trip in Budapest, in September 2015.
Despite the fact Hankin was wearing a metal helmet at the time, he struggled to make a full return to rugby and was forced to retire in 2018 at the age of 25, having suffered with long-term concussion.
He remained on the books with the five-time Premiership champions for three years after the incident but failed to have any first-team impact.
The lawsuit also named Saracens and former club doctor Ademola Adejuwon among the defendants.
It's understood Hankin brought legal action against Adejuwon –a faculty member of the RFU's Pre-Hospital Immediate Care in Sports (PHICIS) course – for clearing him to play three weeks after the trip to Hungary.
It was alleged this led to further injury contributing to his ultimate retirement from the sport.
Both Barrington, 31, and Adejuwon denied any liability in the matter, and it's understood that remained their stance when a judgement was delivered.
The Sun reported Hankin was seeking £3.15m in damages, although the final value of the settlement has not been revealed.
“I used to get home and just break down,” Hankin said after his retirement was announced in 2018.
“A few times I just sat in my flat; I couldn't watch telly, I couldn't go out. Seeing everyone make these achievements and excel in rugby and playing so well, I felt I had so much more to achieve.”
