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| Northampton’s George North out until end of April with head injury | Northampton’s George North out until end of April with head injury |
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| George North has been advised to play no more rugby for at least a month following the series of major head knocks he has suffered this season. A neurologist will reassess the Welsh international wing at the end of April before determining if he needs an additional period of rest or can return for the final games of Northampton’s domestic season. | George North has been advised to play no more rugby for at least a month following the series of major head knocks he has suffered this season. A neurologist will reassess the Welsh international wing at the end of April before determining if he needs an additional period of rest or can return for the final games of Northampton’s domestic season. |
| It remains a possibility that North will not participate in any competitive rugby before Wales start their pre-World Cup friendly programme in August, leaving Northampton potentially without him until November. He will realistically be unavailable for selection should Saints make the European Champions’ Cup final at Twickenham on 2 May. | |
| While the 22-year-old will be permitted to do some gym work over the next four weeks he will not be doing any on-field training, let alone any contact sessions. After four serious blows to the head in five months, the clear priority has to be his long-term health, as Northampton’s director of rugby Jim Mallinder emphasised. “We have listened to the advice we sought and George will be taking some time away from the field,” said Mallinder. “Throughout this process it is important George’s welfare comes first and that he is treated patiently and calmly, only returning to action when all of the medical team are happy for him to do so.”. | While the 22-year-old will be permitted to do some gym work over the next four weeks he will not be doing any on-field training, let alone any contact sessions. After four serious blows to the head in five months, the clear priority has to be his long-term health, as Northampton’s director of rugby Jim Mallinder emphasised. “We have listened to the advice we sought and George will be taking some time away from the field,” said Mallinder. “Throughout this process it is important George’s welfare comes first and that he is treated patiently and calmly, only returning to action when all of the medical team are happy for him to do so.”. |
| North was already resigned to missing this weekend’s European quarter-final against Clermont Auvergne after being knocked out in a collision with Wasps’ Nathan Hughes at Franklin’s Gardens last Friday. He was previously forced to sit out Wales’ 12-6 win over South Africa in the autumn after being concussed against New Zealand and was struck twice on the head while playing against England during the Six Nations championship. | North was already resigned to missing this weekend’s European quarter-final against Clermont Auvergne after being knocked out in a collision with Wasps’ Nathan Hughes at Franklin’s Gardens last Friday. He was previously forced to sit out Wales’ 12-6 win over South Africa in the autumn after being concussed against New Zealand and was struck twice on the head while playing against England during the Six Nations championship. |
| The Wasps’ No8 Hughes was red-carded and subsequently banned for three weeks after his knee and shin made contact with North a split-second after the winger had touched down his second try of the evening. His coaches and team-mates continue to believe Hughes has been harshly treated and the club has formally lodged an appeal, stressing “it was an accident and no foul play occurred.” In their statement, Wasps indicated they “were not in a position to comment further until the result of the appeal hearing has been received.” | The Wasps’ No8 Hughes was red-carded and subsequently banned for three weeks after his knee and shin made contact with North a split-second after the winger had touched down his second try of the evening. His coaches and team-mates continue to believe Hughes has been harshly treated and the club has formally lodged an appeal, stressing “it was an accident and no foul play occurred.” In their statement, Wasps indicated they “were not in a position to comment further until the result of the appeal hearing has been received.” |
| World Rugby regulations, however, ensure that Hughes cannot play again before his appeal is heard, meaning he will miss Wasps’ quarter-final in Toulon on Easter Sunday. If he ends up being cleared it will merely add further to the sense that rugby’s judicial processes need a spring-clean. | World Rugby regulations, however, ensure that Hughes cannot play again before his appeal is heard, meaning he will miss Wasps’ quarter-final in Toulon on Easter Sunday. If he ends up being cleared it will merely add further to the sense that rugby’s judicial processes need a spring-clean. |
| Concussion awareness, however, remains the game’s most pressing priority. It has emerged that the Cardiff Blues fly-half Rhys Patchell has been suffering from severe memory loss since being knocked out by a forearm smash from Ulster’s Nick Williams. According to WalesOnline, Patchell has no memory of his trip to Belfast, from Thursday’s flight to Ireland until his return to Wales. “We are unclear when he will be fit to resume,” said Blues chief executive Richard Holland. “With concussion there’s no definitive time-scale for a full recovery. It could be days, weeks, months or worse.” The Wallaby scrum-half Will Genia, meanwhile, is joining Stade Francais on a three-year deal after the World Cup. | Concussion awareness, however, remains the game’s most pressing priority. It has emerged that the Cardiff Blues fly-half Rhys Patchell has been suffering from severe memory loss since being knocked out by a forearm smash from Ulster’s Nick Williams. According to WalesOnline, Patchell has no memory of his trip to Belfast, from Thursday’s flight to Ireland until his return to Wales. “We are unclear when he will be fit to resume,” said Blues chief executive Richard Holland. “With concussion there’s no definitive time-scale for a full recovery. It could be days, weeks, months or worse.” The Wallaby scrum-half Will Genia, meanwhile, is joining Stade Francais on a three-year deal after the World Cup. |