Irish players set to launch concussion case against IRFU - report
The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) is the latest organisation facing a concussion lawsuit as a number of ex-Irish players are taking a case over serious brain injuries allegedly suffered during their playing careers. News that proceedings in a case in Ireland are set to be issued before October emerged in Wednesday’s edition of the Irish Times.
It comes two days after separate proceedings against World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union and the Welsh Rugby Union were due to be issued at court in the UK by Rylands Law on behalf of a group of professional and semi-professional players against World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union and the Welsh Rugby Union.
Rylands represents more than 185 rugby players aged in their 30s, 40s and 50s and the case involves people diagnosed with early-onset dementia and other irreversible neurological impairments.
Client confidentiality meant that the number of individuals involved in the new proceedings in Ireland and their names were undisclosed, according to the report.
Dublin-based solicitors firm Maguire McClafferty LLP are taking the case and senior partner Manus McClafferty said: “There are Irish players involved, yes… I can tell you that proceedings are prepared and will, probably, be issued, I believe, by the end of September. I have them ready.”
Asked what the health issues were, McClafferty added: “Yes, very much so [similar types of issues as the UK players]. CTE [chronic traumatic encephalopathy]. Exactly the same... Once the proceedings issue then they just have to take their course. The timeline will be decided very much by the IRFU, the way in which they approach the cases. We can go the long route or go the other route. It is up to the IRFU.”
In the UK case, the claimants, who include former Wales captain Ryan Jones and England’s 2003 World Cup-winning hooker Steve Thompson, will argue that the sport’s governing bodies were negligent in that they failed to take reasonable action to protect players from permanent injury caused by repetitive concussive and sub-concussive blows.
A recent Rylands statement read: “This claim isn’t just about financial compensation; it is also about making the game safer and ensuring current and former players get tested so that if they are suffering a brain injury, they can get the clinical help they need.
“The players we represent love the game. We aim to challenge the current perceptions of the governing bodies, to reach a point where they accept the connection between repetitive blows to the head and permanent neurological injury and to take steps to protect players and support those who are injured.”
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wel the crusaders were beaten by a queensland reds side that hadnt beaten them at home since 1999 and queensland reds partied like it was 1999
Go to commentsThink it was a great defensive performance by Northampton. They didn't have stage fright in the first half, the Nienaber defense smothered them. They limited Leinster to 15-3 in the first half. It could have been over by then. A great try from Leinster in the start of the second half looked to have sealed it. But Byrne missed another conversion. Northampton started trying little kicks behind the Leinster wingers. Leinster messed one and Smith brilliantly made the conversion. Leinster decided to tighten the game after Byrne missed a straight forward penalty. A few errors got NH into the 22 and they scored and converted with a few minutes left. Another brilliant steal from Lawes saw NH have a final attack which was turned over by Conan. A classic semi final. World record attendance of 82,300. Leinsters 3 week preparation warranted for this one.
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