RUGBY CONCUSSION LAWSUIT THREATENED AS LEAD SOLICITOR QUITS

Hundreds of former rugby league and rugby union players pursuing legal action over brain injuries now face the risk of having their cases dismissed, following the departure of the lead solicitor and a court dispute over medical disclosure. Richard Boardman of Rylands Garth has formally requested to withdraw from the litigation after his handling was criticised by the managing judge, Senior Master Cook, who described the change as "dramatic". The players have terminated their instruction of Rylands Garth and stated they are appointing new solicitors, with Leigh Day reportedly set to take over the case. Susan Rodway KC, representing the claimants, told the court the players are "staring into the precipice".

The threat to the cases centres on the failure to disclose medical documents to the defendants in compliance with a 2024 court order. Lawyers for World Rugby, the Welsh Rugby Union, Rugby Football Union and Rugby Football League have argued that claims should be struck out: 132 claims against rugby league bodies and 378 claims against rugby union bodies. Michael Kent KC and William Audland KC, representing the governing bodies, submitted that non-compliance was "systemic and without good reason". Rodway submitted that the breaches were "neither serious nor significant" given the scale of the litigation, and that dismissal would be an "extreme response" to procedural failings.

The litigation began in 2020, with players from both codes claiming the authorities failed to implement safeguards against repeated head impacts. The governing bodies deny breaching a duty of care to protect players from injury. Rodway told the court that some claimants have taken their own lives and have suffered "life-changing injuries" and "enormous stress and anxiety". The court must now decide whether to allow the strike-outs to proceed.