Jason Hobson and Neil Clark, former professional rugby players, have discussed their lives, including a dementia diagnosis in their 30s, as part of a new BBC documentary. The best friends, who played for the same clubs for most of their careers and had similar injuries, believe that their diagnoses of early onset dementia were caused by repeated head impacts while playing. They are among hundreds of former players who are taking legal action against three of rugby’s governing bodies, alleging that they were negligent in their duty of care and failed to protect players from concussions and repetitive head injuries. The three governing bodies contest the legal claims.
In the documentary, Neil remarked that their parallel lives were not limited to their playing careers, saying that they married their partners and divorced them and served as godfathers to each other’s children. Jason added that when he was down, Neil was there for him and vice versa.
Jason stated that waiting for the diagnosis had affected his mental health, and he had been ready not to be there. Neil and Jason’s health issues are part of a larger concern about rugby’s impact on players, with health experts documenting the sport’s high concussion rates.
World Rugby released a statement in which they denied the claims and said they were working to make sure players knew “we care”. The Rugby Football Union (RFU), one of three governing bodies mentioned in the lawsuit, also denied the claims and stated that their relationship with players was predicated on the latter’s health and well-being.
The documentary, Rugby on Trial, is available on the BBC iPlayer platform.
The ongoing debate regarding rugby’s impact on players’ health has prompted a search for solutions, with some players suggesting stricter safety measures, such as rules regarding tackling, while others have called for the sport to be banned altogether. Despite the debate, rugby remains a popular and beloved sport globally
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