Scottish medic raises fears over damaging toll of rugby on mental health

Professional rugby takes a physical and mental toll now that it never did before, but there are concerns that men whose careers have long since ended are suffering from mental conditions such as dementia as a result of their own playing days.

John Beattie, who played for Scotland and the British and Irish Lions in the 1980s, made a documentary last year investigating links between rugby and long-term brain damage, and he was subsequently contacted by a number of former players with similar concerns.

Among those he spoke to for a new film was Donald MacLeod who serves as team doctor to the Scottish team from 1967 to 1995.

MacLeod is also a former president of the Scottish Rugby Union.

A clip of his interview was posted on BBC Sport’s website yesterday.

“I always worry if there is someone who is not a 100% equivalent to their peers, irrespective of their age … was it because they got lots of head knocks while playing rugby? And it has been a worry,” MacLeod admitted.

“I think about it almost every Saturday as I go down to watch a game somewhere and you meet people who played and you are really grateful when you chat to them and they are fine.

“But every now and then you chat and you hear about people who are not coming to games because they are not fine.”