Players rally round Ryan Jones after dementia diagnosis and demand new welfare protocols

Former team-mates and concussion campaigners have rallied around Ryan Jones, the former Wales captain who revealed over the weekend that he is suffering from early onset dementia at the age of 41.

Jones captained Wales to a Grand Slam and was a World Rugby player of the year nominee in 2008.

Will Greenwood, the Telegraph Sport columnist who played alongside Jones on the 2005 British and Lions tour of New Zealand, described Jones as "one of the great blokes on the planet".

Greenwood continued: "It saddens me to my core and we've had enough warning shots. It needs continued efforts from the powers that be to make sure that they'll be in as safe a place as possible. We must do absolutely everything we can when we educate kids in tackles and the contact area that we educate them correctly.

"It is a sport that is contact-ridden and will continue to deliver injuries and head injury. If we can educate the kids enough to make sure that when they get to 18 or 19, they're as healthy as they possibly can be, and then have their own personal viewpoint on whether they want to take part in a wonderful game, knowing the potential injuries just as boxers do, just as jockeys, just as motor racing drivers do."

Progressive Rugby, the rugby union lobby group, praised Jones' bravery after he became the latest retired player along with Steve Thompson and Alix Popham to speak out. 

“Ryan Jones is the latest high-profile player to reveal this devastating diagnosis, but sadly he won’t be the last," read a statement.

“We commend Ryan’s bravery for speaking out on behalf of the numerous other players in the professional and amateur game who are still coming to terms with the brutal impact brain injury is having on their life.

“The focus must now