Leinster's Kevin McLaughlin was forced to retire from rugby in September of this year following a number of concussions, aged just 31. While a difficult decision at the time McLaughlin spoke to the Irish Independent this week about his relief having made the decision when he did:
I'm really, really lucky and I'm so thankful to Leinster for that because I read stories about people who can't leave a dark room because light is too sore for them and are going through mood swings and forgetting stuff day-to-day that they shouldn't be forgetting. I look at myself and I don't have any issues like that. The only issue that pertains with me is contact. If I take contact, I feel woozy and that's not right. That's why I stopped. But I'm thankful I stopped when I did.
McLaughlin also said that it was extremely important to keep the issue of concussion in the foreground of medical discussion in rugby:
I don't get worried. I look at the guys in Leinster and I know we have the right culture in place. I know the doctors have their heads in the right space so I don't get worried about that. The wider game? Do I get worried? At times I think, yeah. I think until it becomes the cultural norm in rugby to take concussion as seriously as a knee ligament injury, I would be slightly concerned.
You can read the entire interview here.
Picture credit: Paul Harding / SPORTSFILE
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