Court case that could define game's future

AS WE approach what could be a defining moment in the future of the game with a head injury case about to have its first outing in the High Court on the December 1, there is still so much we don’t know.

- JEFF PROBYN

First, who suggested the formation of the group? Was it a law firm trying to make some money or a group of players attempting to ensure that no other players end up suffering as they have? 

Usually, if someone suffers an injury at work, they sue their employer and not the whole industry, which makes this landmark case a first with the clubs and their coaches currently left out of the action.

For many of us ex-players who still carry some form of injury from our playing days, we are expecting them to worsen as we age. It was a case of ‘we knew the risks’ when we played, as you only had to go into the ERIC bar at Twickenham - the bar where former England internationals can meet - to see what the future could hold, but we still wanted to play and reap the nonfinancial benefits that the game gave us.

Admittedly, for many of us, they weren’t life-changing injuries, although there were a few cases of serious neck and spine injuries. But for most players, it was wear and tear. Maybe for some, it was a need for a replacement knee, or suffering from arthritis in the shoulders, hips or other parts of the body which needed treatment at some point. But there didn’t seem to be the kind of head injuries then that appear to have been suffered now by those involved in this case.