Shane Williams Makes Startling Revelation & Recalls Horrifying Concussion Story

The topic of concussion has been hotly debated in rugby in recent memory.

Clermont and Canada lock Jamie Cudmore recently detailed a horrific story involving him and two European Cup games that makes you seriously question player welfare in the game.

While changes have been put in place over the past number of seasons, it remains an ongoing issue.

Shane Williams has today given us a real insight in his column for the Rugby Paper, into just how much of a problem it is, first with a startling revelation.

Goodness knows how many bangs I took to the head, but the truth is that I probably suffered a concussion-type injury once every three games I played.

That’s no exaggeration and over a 15-year career that’s a lot of bangs to the head.

He then goes on to describe a horrifying story from a game against South Africa in 2010. Williams was so concussed that he dislocated his shoulder, but his head was so blank- he didn’t even realise it!

I remember – albeit a rather patchy memory – late in the first half I was dump-tackled by Francois Steyn. The impact dislocated my shoulder but also banged my head on the turf.

I don’t remember the next three minutes of the game and having seen it back, I was standing looking the wrong way when I got back to my feet.

I just told myself ‘Shane, you’ve got to pull yourself together and last until half-time’ but because my head was like a fog, my brain didn’t even know that my shoulder was dislocated, even though it was completely out of place.

Frightening stuff.