Researchers express concern about unsafe attitudes to concusson among rugby players in Ireland

A new medical study has expressed concern about unsafe attitudes to concussion among non-professional rugby players in Ireland, particularly at school level.

Research on the knowledge and attitudes of rugby players in clubs and schools in the Republic to concussion and related brain injuries also identified some gaps in relation to coma and the symptoms of concussion.

The authors of the study said it was “somewhat concerning” that 35 per cent of school players said they would continue to play a sport while also having a headache that resulted from a minor concussion. In contrast, only 14 per cent of club players held the same view.

While all players were generally knowledgeable about concussion, the study identified “a significant knowledge gap” about chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) – a progressive brain disease linked to repeated concussion.

The views and attitudes of over 520 IRFU-registered rugby players from 17 clubs and five schools were surveyed as part of the research.

According to an Irish Rugby Injury Surveillance Report, concussion is the most common injury diagnosed in non-professional men’s and women’s rugby clubs in Ireland.

Under current IRFU protocols, players should immediately leave a game if they suffer a suspected concussion.

The research team from UCC’s School of Medicine and Cork University Hospital said it was evident that the attitude of some players to concussion is still influenced by important matches.

The survey revealed that 11 per cent of school players claimed they personally felt a concussed player should return to play during a semi-final game compared to four per cent of club players.

Similarly, 20 per cent of school players said most athletes would feel a concussed player should