"An endless hangover" - Concussion problems in rugby 'getting worse' with star retiring aged 26
Rugby NewsSaturday, 19 February 2022 at 09:29
, the All Black revealed he has decided to retire from rugby after battling with symptoms brought on by his most recent concussion for more than a year.
At Durham the UK Rugby Health Project has been working on a study of a group of 189 retired rugby players, 83 of them elite, 106 amateur, 145 from union, 44 from league.
When it published its recent review of the mental health and wellbeing of the group the lead author, Karen Hind, explained why so many retired players had signed up with the project in the first place.
“People wanted to take part because it felt like a good way to get an MOT on their bodies.”
Below, we look at five rugby stars who were forced to step down, considered retirement or hung up their boots altogether due to concussion in 2021/22.
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Returned after lay-off
The All Blacks, who has twice been named world player of the year, was sidelined after taking a blow to the face during an attempted tackle on Ireland's Andrew Conway back in November.
The incident resulted in a nasty concussion, and the symptoms were so severe that the 30-year-old admits he considered hanging up his boots.
He told French publication, XV Mondial : “For two weeks, things have been much better. But throughout the off-season, I had migraines, 80 to 90 per cent of the time. Today, it tends to fade, they have become rarer.
“I will gradually resume contact training, I hope to play again in three weeks against the Chiefs. I thought it might be the end of my career. When you feel sluggish 99 per cent of the day, trying several ways to get better, but nothing works, you assume the worst.
“And then you hear about teammates who have to end their careers because of concussions, it’s more and more frequent. I thought it was my turn.
“You learn to get used to small headaches, a bit like a mild hangover. It’s very frustrating because when you wake up, in principle, you should feel refreshed and ready.”
#2. Sam Underhill (England) - Currently stepped down from rugby
Bath are in no rush to bring back the England flanker after he suffered his fourth concussion in two months against Leinster in late January.
After treatment, Underhill exited to the dressing rooms for a head injury assessment but he didn’t return to take his place back from his replacement, Josh McNally.
Commenting on the incident for BT Sport, ex-England No8 Lawrence Dallaglio said: “A lot these injuries come from the second or third tackler coming in and it’s Underhill, he gets his head in the wrong place.”
Commentator Alastair Eykyn added: “That is nasty in itself but he has only just come back from concussion problems and it was one of the reasons for his absence from the England Six Nations squad, so this will be a grave concern to club and country.”
Bath boss Stuart Hooper has now confirmed that Underhill won't be returning anytime soon and also revealed the back-rower will be meeting with a specialist.
#3. Eben Etzebeth (South Africa) - Just returned from lay-off
Toulon announced in early December that the imposing Springbok lock will be stood down from rugby for a three-month period after suffering his third concussion of the year in the Test match against England, at Twickenham in late November.
Eben Etzebeth of South Africa during the Autumn Nations Match between England and South Africa at Twickenham Stadium on 20 November 2021. Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK
The decision was made after taking specialist advice. This enforced rest plan fits with the the National Rugby League (LNR) concussion management protocol, the club said in a press release. If he comes back at the earliest opportunity, he should be ruled out until the end of February.
In the French club’s official statement, they said: “Rugby Club Toulonnais wishes Eben Etzebeth a speedy recovery.”
In what was an intensive Test programme in November, second-row Etzebeth played a total of 245 minutes on the recent Springboks tour.
#4. Dane Haylett-Petty (Australia) - Retired
The 32-year-old Haylett-Petty sustained a head injury in a Bledisloe Cup match against the All Blacks in October 2020 and was unable to play in the most recent Super Rugby season with the Melbourne Rebels.
The fullback, with 38 tests and 12 tries for the Wallabies, had made attempts to return to top-level action, but complained of lingering symptoms such as migraines.
"It's not the way I wanted to finish," Haylett-Petty posted on social media on Sunday. "I would have loved to run out just one more time, but it wasn't to be.
"Rugby has given me so much and for that I am forever grateful. The experiences, the opportunities, the challenges, and the lifelong friendships. Thank you to all the teams who gave me an opportunity, and whose jerseys I wore with pride."
#5. Dillon Hunt (New Zealand) - Retired
That head knock, which came while playing for North Harbour against Bay of Plenty in the final round of the 2020 NPC, was one of many Hunt endured throughout his six-year professional playing career.
However, after having returned to action too soon more often that not, as he did in that match after sustaining a head knock against Waikato eight weeks earlier, concussion symptoms have lingered with Hunt 12 months on.
At its worst, those symptoms include “headaches, just being in a complete fog where you can’t think”, to the point where he “can’t handle any sort of noise or light”.
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- Jordie Barrett over Damian de Allende is far from being correct. The hype around Dupont is also overreaching, he's probably 4th in the world and has been since the 2023 WC. He also avoids certain matchups which is strange. The rest of the list is pretty good apart from minor subjective biases.JasonMarlow16-09-2026
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