Another Twist In The George North Saga As BT Sport Fire Back At Northampton

The George North saga continues...

BT Sport has hit back at Northampton over the George North saga, suggesting comments made in their statement were untrue. North was stood down by his club this week, pending a full investigation, following his sickening head injury against Leicester this past weekend.

Northampton were highly criticised for allowing North to return to the field a mere six minutes after being withdrawn, claiming he wasn’t concussed, despite video footage showing the winger was clearly motionless.

The Premiership club noted in their statement this week, revealing that North has been stood down, that they did not have access to the same video footage pitchside, that viewers on television may have had.

As at every Aviva Premiership match, the Saints’ medical team has access to video footage to be used to assist the pitchside assessment of injuries. It is important to note this video footage is not always the full range of replay angles available to the TV viewing audience at home.

The medical team can only base their decisions on the evidence available to them at the time of assessment. World Rugby protocol dictated, given the evidence available to the medical team, the use of a Head Injury Assessment.

George was fully assessed by the doctor away from the pitch using the established protocols and processes, and passed fit to return to play. As with all such injuries, if evidence suggesting a loss of consciousness had been available to the medical team at the time of assessment, George would not have been allowed to return to the field of play…

…Additionally Northampton Saints is seeking to work with all parties to improve the availability of all footage that may assist team medics with injury management.

In response to this, BT Sport have lashed out at the Saints. According to the Daily Mail, the sports provider are furious with Saints’ claim that they failed to provide the medical staff with adequate video footage to examine North’s injury.

It would have been absolutely extraordinary and highly unusual if the designated concussion spotter had not been able to access exactly the same footage the television audience had.

Even, in the highly unlikely event the feed wasn’t adequate and the spotter could not see the footage on their ipad, what about the countless times the incident was replayed on the big screen?

Are they seriously saying not one member of Northampton’s medical or coaching team saw those replays? It is simply not plausible.

This is absolute nonsense from Northampton. The equivalent of the “dog ate my homework”. They’re using diversionary tactics to distract from the fact they messed up very badly and are now back-peddling.

Sounds like BT Sport are far from happy. Who’s side of the story do you believe? No doubt, this is far from over.