New World Rugby head must 'bring in big changes'

Former Wales flanker Alix Popham hopes the new chairman of World Rugby will push for the changes required to prevent players from suffering the long-term effects of successive head injuries, as he has done.

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Bill Beaumont steps down as chairman on Nov 14 after eight years and Popham is scathing about the changes made during the Englishman's tenure, calling them "smoke and mirrors".

The issue is highly sensitive for World Rugby, which says the sport "remains at the forefront of managing concussion and reducing head impacts in general".

Popham, who won 33 caps between 2003 and 2008 and played in two World Cups, was diagnosed in 2020 with probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) at the age of 40.

CTE is a progressive brain condition that is thought to be caused by repeated blows to the head and episodes of concussion.

Popham is one of a group of former internationals pursuing legal action against World Rugby, England's Rugby Football Union and the Welsh Rugby Union.