World Rugby has reiterated its disappointment with Northampton for their handling of the George North head-injury incident in the match against Leicester last month, accusing the club of “failing to manage the injury appropriately”.
Northampton have not been punished by the world governing body, which does not have jurisdiction over the domestic game, but World Rugby found that the club failed to apply the correct protocols.
It also noted that the Saints medical staff were preoccupied with a possible spinal injury to North who, after the incident which appeared to knock him unconscious, said that he lay motionless to protect his neck. World Rugby also emphasised that the Wales wing should have been immediately and permanently removed from the field of play.
As it was North, who suffered four head injuries in five months between November 2014 and March 2015, was allowed to return to the pitch following a head injury assessment (HIA) eight minutes after he had appeared to be knocked unconscious against Leicester on 3 December. A statement from the governing body read: “World Rugby remains disappointed that there was a failure in this case to identify and manage the injury appropriately, in particular considering North’s medical history.”
World Rugby intervened last month after a joint RFU and Premiership Rugby concussion-management review panel found that Northampton were wrong to let North back on to the pitch but decided to take no action against the club. The ruling body also expressed its disappointment at Northampton’s “apparent non-compliance” with its protocols and Monday’s review sends what amounts to the same message.
Essentially, it is a stern rebuke for the 2014 Premiership champions but again no individual blame has been apportioned for allowing a player to return to the field with a potential head injury. Instead, World Rugby has focused on its protocols, in particular that “any clear or suspected symptom of concussion results in immediate and permanent removal of the player”.
Bill Beaumont, the World Rugby chairman, added: “While we acknowledge that errors in the correct application of the process may happen from time to time, we must continue to strive to make our game as safe as possible for players at all levels of the game. The head injury management process, including the HIA, is successfully protecting players and what this case shows is that all stakeholders must redouble their efforts to ensure they are implemented fully and correctly.
“I’d like to thank our colleagues at the RFU for their full cooperation in this matter and for conducting a thorough review. World Rugby will continue to work closely with all unions to ensure an environment of compliance in this important area.”
Furthermore, World Rugby also expressed its satisfaction, that the RFU and Premiership panel – which took more than two weeks to present its findings – had “acted swiftly and appropriately to implement measures with Northampton Saints and other clubs to reduce the probability of future non-compliance”.
In particular the governing body praised the panel for steps taken to avoid a repeat of the incident – rather than highlighting its failure to sanction Northampton – and reiterated the need for further education on concussion.
Premiership Rugby welcomed World Rugby’s review. “Within the English game – and in collaboration with the RFU and RPA [the players’ union] – we are setting new standards in dealing with concussion risk in education, prevention and treatment, and driving a change of culture in the game,” said a spokesman. “We are 100% behind our clubs in the way they have tackled concussion – player welfare is theirs and our No 1 priority.”
Northampton have not added any further comment to that which followed the concussion-management review panel’s verdict last month. That statement read: “The club’s management remains absolutely confident in the expertise, professionalism and commitment of our medical teams and is encouraged to see that the [panel] has found that the medics had nothing other than player welfare in mind during this incident.”
