Rugby league is set for a major head-on collision with a number of former stars – including Super League legend Bobbie Goulding – as they prepare a lawsuit against the Rugby Football League (RFL).
Rylands Legal is representing 50 former rugby league stars in a negligence suit against the RFL, with allegations that the RFL failed in its duty of care to protect them from the risks associated with concussions and sub-concussions.
Rylands Legal also represents 175 former rugby union stars in a separate concussion lawsuit, with Goulding amongst ten players bringing the legal action.
However, their lawyer, Richard Boardman of Rylands Legal, said he is representing 50 former professional rugby league players aged from 20 to 50 all of whom are showing symptoms of potential neurological complications.
It’s alleged the RFL failed in its duty of care to introduce and enforce rules regarding the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of actual or suspected concussive and sub-concussive injuries.
Boardman has since spoken out about why he is going ahead with such a move alongside the players.
The vast majority of the former players we represent love the game and don’t want to see it harmed in any way,” Boardman said.
“They just want to make it safer so current and future generations don’t end up like them. Younger players such as Stevie Ward, Rob Burrow and Sam Burgess have spoken publicly about their own brain damage, so these issues aren’t restricted to older generations.
“This is why we’re asking the RFL to make a number of immediate, relatively low-cost changes to save the sport, such as limiting contact in training and extending the return to play (after concussion).”
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