IRB plan ‘robust’ changes in concussion protocol

The International Rugby Board are in the final stages of drafting a “robust” set of guidelines to tackle the on-field treatment of suspected concussion.

An injury audit conducted jointly by the England Rugby Football Union, Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Players’ Association shows concussion to be in the top five most common injuries in the game.

Last November, England winger Chris Ashton suffered a heavy blow to the head when playing against South Africa at Twickenham.

However, he continued playing because he passed the on-field tests, despite referee George Clancy wanting him to be replaced.

Diagnosing the severity of a head injury in the heat of a rugby match is difficult, particularly when a player is anxious to remain on the field.

Simon Kemp, the RFU’s head of sports medicine who has been part of the working group, believes the IRB guidelines will make the protocol clear in a case of suspected concussion.

“The IRB are at the final draft stage on a new set of concussion guidelines that I expect would flag up the importance of players with symptoms of suspected concussion being removed from the field of play,” Kemp said.

“Our management of players once they have come off the field of play is according to best practice.

“There are particular challenges around assessment in a game in which the potential for concussion is so high and players get dings the whole time.

“There are some challenges around making decisions in a short period of time on a pitch with a player who is often engaged in the next play.

“It will be the focus of a very robust initiative.

“I am involved in the IRB working group.

“And I am very confident the position we will get to is entirely adequate.”

The Image of the Game task-force, set up in the wake of the Bloodgate saga, proposed the introduction of rolling substitutes to assist medics in diagnosing concussion.

It has also been suggested that rugby could introduce a so-called concussion bin, allowing medics the opportunity to assess a player’s condition in the quiet of the changing room.

However, some fear that could be open to abuse in the same was as the blood bin was in Bloodgate.

The audit, published yesterday, showed a 20% reduction in the likelihood of a player being injured in a match last season compared with 2008-09.

The total number of injuries reported fell to 636 from 769, or an average of 1.6 per team per match.