The number of former rugby union players taking legal action against the game's authorities over head injuries is growing by an average of 10 every month, Mail Sport can reveal.
In early December, England's 2003 World Cup winners Phil Vickery and Mark Regan and former Wales center Gavin Henson were high-profile figures among the 207 new names revealed in the concussion rugby procedural hearing at the High Court in London.
They joined the likes of Alix Popham, Carl Hayman, Steve Thompson and Michael Lipman to take legal action against World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union and the Welsh Rugby Union after suffering neurological problems such as early-onset dementia, motor neurone disease and probably chronic traumatic trauma. encephalopathy which they claim is the result of their playing career.
The players say they were not told rugby would cause such problems.
In total, around 320 former rugby union professionals, semi-professionals and amateurs and 160 from rugby league are now involved in the legal action.
Phil Vickery was part of England lifting the William Webb Ellis Trophy in Australia in 2003
Former England hooker Mark Regan is also involved in the concussion case against World Rugby, the RFU and the WRU
That number is only increasing. Since the hearing at the Supreme Court on December 1, 25 former players have come forward requesting to participate in the trial.
To be officially classified as part of the promotion, the players must undergo a series of neurological scans and interviews, as well as additional tests with an independent clinical neurologist to determine whether or not their brains are damaged.
Only those medically proven to have brain injuries can be officially added to the lawsuit.
Popham, the former Wales striker, was one of the first of the former players to reveal his suffering from early-onset dementia in 2020.
“This is an ongoing issue for the sport that we enjoy addressing. It doesn't go away. “We want to make rugby safer for future generations of players and also for today's players,” he said.
'Unfortunately we have a large number of former players suffering from neurological problems which we believe are a direct result of their rugby career. That number is increasing month after month. There are players who are constantly contacting us and expressing concerns about their health.
'That happens more often after a story has hit the news – such as at the beginning of December during the hearing at the Supreme Court – but we see the numbers increasing.
“There are about 20 to 30 ex-players still involved in the game who I've spoken to and they've told me they're scared of being tested. My message is: it's better to know.
'If players want to officially join the lawsuit they will have to undergo a series of rigorous medical tests, but at the moment I think rugby is paying lip service to the issue.'
Popham founded the charity Head for Change to raise awareness of brain injuries and support ex-players suffering from neurological disabilities.
After the High Court hearing, World Rugby, the RFU and the WRU said the players at the center of the lawsuit should not be forgotten and that they 'consider their fight very important'.
They added that they could not contact the players for legal reasons, but said their welfare was “our top priority.” Richard Boardman of Rylands Garth is representing the players involved who must prove the governing bodies were negligent in their treatment of brain injuries to be successful in the legal proceedings.
The High Court found there was a 'gaping hole' in the evidence provided by the players' legal team, despite them submitting more than 5,000 pages of supporting medical documents.
“The argument that there is a sense of opportunism surrounding this lawsuit is not one I believe in. “Strict medical testing is required for any player wishing to participate in the process,” Boardman said.
“Our work on this campaign is ongoing and we have put a lot of time and effort into moving it forward. As things stand, we have not provided supporting documents for only four players.
'One of the reasons for this is that our lead neurologist has recently been involved in a trial, but we have provided supporting documents for these four claimants, but not their condition and prognosis reports.
“We have provided summaries of their cases. It is misleading to suggest that there is a gaping hole in our evidence.
Former Welsh Rugby poster boy Gavin Henson was also named as a plaintiff at the Royal Courts of Justice
“We have submitted approximately 5,000 pages of supporting medical evidence and case summaries.
“In contrast, the defendants have failed to even provide a response letter. The only documents provided – by just one of the three defendants – were court ordered.
'We believe that one in two top players will have some form of neurological disability. That's the extent of this. The sport is as dangerous as ever.
'Earlier this month, rugby league recommended 44 changes to the sport to make it safer. We don't see that in the union, but we want to force change in the sport to make sure that happens.”