Premiership/RFU statement: Last Sunday's Tom Curry HIA assessment

Tom Curry would have been permanently removed after suffering a blow to the head during Sale’s clash against Harlequins had a “technical issue” not prevented medical staff from accessing real-time match footage.

The England flanker went off after seven minutes of Sale’s Gallagher Premiership opener on Sunday. Curry rejoined the action midway through the first half and played until the interval, when he was reassessed and did not return for the second period.

Sale rugby director Alex Sanderson, who confirmed that Curry will miss Sale’s trip to Saracens on Saturday, said the player passed an initial head injury assessment that was done during the first half. “Absolutely correct, passed all his testing, all his protocols,” Sanderson said.

“At half-time he was reassessed, as everyone is, for precautionary measures and was deemed not fit to go back on in the second half, so he was looked after according to the protocols and roles really well in that sense.”

In a joint statement, Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Football Union said: “An independent review has confirmed a technical issue prevented medical staff from accessing real-time match footage for a short period of Sale Sharks’ Gallagher Premiership fixture against Harlequins.

“Had the footage been reviewed as part of the HIA1 assessment, as is standard practice, the player would have been permanently removed. The ability to review in real-time the video of the head injury event is a key element of the HIA protocol, and technical issues are extremely rare. The review agreed the HIA protocol, albeit without access to real-time video, was followed.

“At half-time the Sale team doctor and independent match-day doctor reviewed the video, and both agreed there was evidence of a criteria 1 sign (suspected loss of consciousness) which, if the video had been available at the time of the HIA1 assessment, would have precluded a return to play.

“Operational protocols around the availability and non-availability of real-time footage will be updated to ensure HIA events are reviewed as soon as is feasible by independent match-day doctors and team doctors.

“All recommendations made by the independent reviewer are adopted by Premiership Rugby clubs to make sure that player welfare is at the heart of the game.”