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2nd February 2016
10:54am GMT

Addressing the issue of concussion on Newstalk Breakfast, IRFU chief executive Philip Browne mentioned the shortcomings in the Keegan incident to highlight the progress rugby has made to cope with concussions.
"In the international game, we have the Head Injury Assessments, which, in many ways, may have prevented what happened in the Mayo game where a player was left on the pitch and a discussion was held with the player who didn't want to come off the pitch. In rugby, with the HIA protocols now, that discussion now happens in a less fevered environment, under the stand, where a doctor can clearly have a conversation with a player, assess if it is a suspected concussion and if it is suspected as a concussion at all, the player comes off the pitch."One might argue that if a player is removed from the pitch to undergo a HIA that a suspicion of concussion is there and the player should be removed from play regardless. Browne also dealt with concerns over the safety of Johnny Sexton, who sustained four concussions in less than 12 months before returning in time for the 2015 Six Nations. Sexton took another blow to the head on January 23 but Leinster Rugby maintain he was not concussed. Browne said, "There is absolutely no way that the national team or the IRFU would be playing, or messing, about with the health of our players."
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