Why the Tomas Francis affair IS a BIG deal and shouldn’t be glossed over
This article is written by Progressive Rugby
The concession that Welsh prop Tomas Francis should have been removed permanently from the field against England at Twickenham was a foregone conclusion.
The investigation by Six Nations gave journalists what they wanted – an admission – but in truth this outcome was never in doubt.
It would have taken a brave panel to deny what thousands of viewers had seen for themselves - Francis struggling to get up, moving unsteadily on his feet, appearing to use the post to support himself and then grabbing his head when play finally stopped.
But, it’s actually what followed this distressing footage and initial failing to remove Francis immediately that is far more concerning.
The fact is that Francis then not only wrongly underwent a Head Injury Assessment (HIA), but worse still he passed it and was thus allowed to return to the field with brain injury.
An acknowledgement that Francis was concussed is, by definition, an equal acknowledgement that the HIA failed to identify an obvious concussion.
Critically, the protocol had failed to do the one job it is relied on to do.
If the 12-minute test (it actually usually takes about 7 minutes) can’t identify an obvious concussion, then how many less evident cases is it missing?
How many players are returning to the field with a brain injury and putting their short and long-term health at risk?
And if that’s a concern, which it absolutely has to be given the findings, then where is the recommendation for an urgent review of the HIA protocol?
There is almost no evidence an elite rugby player’s brain is any less delicate or susceptible to trauma than those of us who turn out for our local club side.
And while we all like to think we play at the same intensity as the All Blacks, the truth is the physical collisions at the top end are colossal and unrelenting.
Just one more reason why it makes no sense that community rugby has a 19-day minimum stand down following concussion, but under the six-stage Graduated Return to Play (GRTP) elite players can, and do, return in just six days.
So, in our view this review is another golden opportunity missed.
If a system that returns players to the pitch with brain injury isn’t ringing alarm bells, the level of scenario that will is becoming increasingly frightening.