Kieran Read concussed again

by **Rugby Fan** Mon 25 May 2015, 1:10 am

Kieran Read is likely to miss the Crusaders' Super Rugby match against the ladder-leading Hurricanes at Trafalgar Park in Nelson on Friday after suffering concussion in the defeat by New South Wales in Sydney on Saturday.

Crusaders captain Read, who missed five Super Rugby matches and the All Blacks' first two Tests against England in 2014 through the lingering effects of concussion, was replaced by Matt Todd in the 50th minute.

"He just took a slight head knock and [Dr Deb Robinson] assessed him out on the field," Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder said of the latest head knock. "While it wasn't overly serious, he had still taken a knock and felt a little bit hazy so to speak. It was just making sure we put every precaution in place to look after him. Unless there is a dramatic change, he is likely to be looked after this week."

Read conceded last year, after missing two Super Rugby matches, that "it's a worrying injury any time you get" a concussion.

Kiearan Read, George North and Mike Brown are very high profile casualties. In Australia, Tatafu Polota-Nau is also standing down from matches to recover.

It's good news that our sport is taking this issue seriously now. I do wonder, though, whether the lure of a World Cup might tempt some players to start downplaying concussion symptoms.

by SecretFly Mon 25 May 2015, 11:41 am

I think most players are having the ultra serious nature of repetitive concussions now put before them bluntly and they're intelligent enough to know you don't dance with your future health welfare for the sake of any game or any tournament.

I think it's the players themselves that now realise there can be very serious implications coming down the line in post-playing days if they fail to take all justifiable precautions and tell the truth. Besides, a player on the field having off-moments or suffering from non-declared headaches etc, I don't think they would be doing themselves or indeed their careers any favours to be on the field pretending everything is fine. If it's not fine then performances too would begin to strongly hint that all was not right.

Kieran Read concussed again

Kieran Read concussed again

Re: Kieran Read concussed again