Former England internationals suffering from neurological damage, including England hooker Steve Thompson, winner of the 2003 World Cup, and third line Ryan Jones, former captain of Wales, filed a complaint on Monday July 25 against World Rugby, the international federation, and the English and Welsh federations, the law firm defending them announced on Sunday.
According to the Press Association (PA) agency, Rylands Law, acting on behalf of this group of players, has taken legal action against the international body that governs rugby (XV and VII) and the federations concerned, the parties (players and federations) having so far failed to agree on a regulation to protect players against the risk of concussion.
Ryan Jones revealed last week in an interview with Sunday Times, to suffer at only 41 years of early dementia, probably linked to the repetition of shocks during his career. Also suffering from severe neurological disorders, Steve Thompson has been fighting for several years “to make rugby safer”he said last September.
In December 2020, this group of former players announced their intention to seek compensation from World Rugby and the English and Welsh federations.
