Big hits 'could cause a rugby death'

Wednesday 17 February 2010
Published By: Amy Nicholson
Six Nations > Scotland

The increasingly big hits being put in on the filed may eventually lead to a player being killed, according to one source.

Mark Reason, writing for the Daily Telegraph, said that the "sickening" injury to Scotland's Thom Evans last weekend illustrates why bodies are being increasingly broken and players are spending more time in the hospital – just as Evans did on Saturday night.

He pointed out that Evans had two big hits before the tackle which injured his neck and theorised that these may have also had a detrimental impact on him.

"Evans got up from those hits, ran on and lowered his head into the leg of Lee Byrne. How can anyone say that the final impact, when Evans put his head in so dangerous a position, was not connected with what went before?" Reason asked.

Another player who spent the weekend in hospital is Scottish kicker Chris Paterson, and his Six Nations tournament hopes remain in doubt after suffering kidney damage in the defeat against Wales.

Posted by Amy Nicholson