Jamie Cudmore Explains His Frightening Concussion Experiences

Jamie Cudmore is leading the way in the fight against concussion.

The towering lock recently set up the Rugby Safety Network along with his wife Jennifer in order to preserve the past and protect the future of rugby player’s when it comes to head related injuries and how they are dealt with.

Cudmore is currently taking legal action against his former club Clermont due to their treatment of him when he suffered a number of concussions. The subject of player welfare has been thrown back into the firing line in recent weeks as a result of the George North saga.

North was allowed return to the field after being knocked unconscious and having a track-record of head related-injuries, probing several investigations, with World Rugby recently stating that will now conduct one after Northampton escaped regional punishment.

Cudmore similarly suffered a concussion during the 2015 Champions Cup semi-final following a collision with Billy Vunipola. Despite a doctor deciding that he was unfit to continue playing, he was allowed return to the field.

Cudmore described what happened in a frank discussion with Martin Bayfield on Rugby Tonight last night.

I suffered some pretty bad after effects after two concussions in a short period of time of the 2015 European Cup semi-final and two weeks later in the final.

I was involved in a head collision in the semi-final in Saint-Etienne. I was taken off the field for blood but our doctor realised that I’d had a concussion. I was taken off the field for blood and for the HIA (Head Injury Assessment) which happened in the changing room during that game. I was deemed unfit to play. I was told to take off my boots and sit down.

A few minutes later the doctor came running back in the changing room and said ‘Listen, the other second row is no good. Can you come back on?’ Like any rugby player, we always want to play. I said ‘Yeah. Sweet.’ I laced my boots back up and went out and finished the game.

A fortnight later, Cudmore would play in the final against Toulon.

I had some really bad after effects in the week following. I was given complete rest. I was brought into see a neurosurgeon. I did many tests during the 10 days after that and I was deemed fit to play in the final two weeks later in Twickenham.

Clearly I wasn’t good enough to play because the first contact I made in the final, about 10 minutes in, I was concussed again in a tackle with Chris Masoe.

Just the impact of my shoulder going into Masoe’s side was enough to spark me out.

I was taken off. I passed the HIA. I was allowed to come back on the field as I had passed. Later on in the game I suffered a head knock with Juan Smith. I went off for blood. During that time I was getting stitched up I became very nauseous and began vomiting in the changing room in front of a few other players who were there. I was still allowed to go back on the field and finish the game.

You can watch the video below.