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'I am absolutely disgusted... A stain on our great game' - Bracken lashes Lions
Former England scrum-half Kyran Bracken has hit out at the British & Irish Lions over the selection of Exeter Chiefs hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie on the bench for Saturday’s game against the Sigma Lions.
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Cowan-Dickie’s selection comes despite his being knocked unconscious just seven days prior in the Gallagher Premiership final defeat to Harlequins. The hooker got his head the wrong side of a tackle and received medical treatment on the pitch before being removed from the action at Twickenham.
The 28-year-old has since progressed through the return to play protocols, but his return so soon after a significant head injury hasn’t gone unnoticed by concussion activists.
When questioned about Cowan-Dickie’s inclusion Lions head coach Warren Gatland noted: “When I first asked him how he was he said he had never had a knock like that before, so he has done all the return to play protocols and he is happy to take a part in training and he is another real competitor.”
However, in an extraordinary tweet on Twitter, Bracken described the selection as a ‘stain on the game’.
Bracken, who is spearheading an anti-brain injury campaign in the sport, has spoken out about his own struggles with post-concussion symptoms in retirement. Earlier this year the former England international testified before a digital, culture, media and sport select committee and is he part of Progressive Rugby, a group campaigning to make the game safer.
A clearly irate Bracken took to Twitter to vent after the selection of the England front rower, who was unconscious for between 20 and 60 seconds.
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“Luke is unconscious for over 20 seconds. Possibly 40-60 secs. How can he play the following week? I am absolutely disgusted that the powers that be allow this to happen. A stain on our great game,” tweeted Bracken.
Luke is unconscious for over 20 seconds. Possibly 40-60 secs. How can he play the following week? I am absolutely disgusted that the powers that be allow this to happen. A stain on our great game. @premrugby @EnglandRugby @WorldRugby pic.twitter.com/RtpTOjnqVK
— Kyran Bracken (@KyranBracken) July 2, 2021
Progressive Rugby tweeted: “How on earth is Luke Cowan-Dickie on the Lions team sheet just 5 days after this?
“Cowan-Dickie will have to undergo stringent return to play protocols and will not be able to progress to full training until he passes series of tests.”
“Ridiculous.”
How on earth is Luke Cowan-Dickie on @lionsofficial team sheet just 5 days after this?
“Cowan-Dickie will have to undergo stringent return to play protocols and will not be able to progress to full training until he passes series of tests.”
Ridiculous.https://t.co/d68lLFkeYS pic.twitter.com/06Ccb2ec6k
— Progressive Rugby (@ProgressiveRug) July 1, 2021
The popular Rugby and the Law account tweeted: “Luke Cowan-Dickie on the bench this weekend for the Lions, after suffering a serious knock-out last weekend. According to the protocols, this is fine. Do the protocols go far enough? Plenty would say they don’t.”
Luke Cowan-Dickie on the bench this weekend for the Lions, after suffering a serious knock-out last weekend. According to the protocols, this is fine.
Do the protocols go far enough? Plenty would say they don’t. https://t.co/XgrKyQqjdc
ADVERTISEMENT— Rugby and the Law (@rugbyandthelaw) July 2, 2021
The issue of head injury is one that World Rugby seem to be in the constant throws of dealing with. Just this morning the governing body issued a new protocol that will see players red-carded for dangerous tackles sent back to tackling school.
The new law comes in practice for the July Tests and could see players shave one week off their ban if they complete a technical course on how to tackle safely.
The Lions boss came under fire for selecting the Exeter hooker to play just a week after his Premiership final concussion#LionsRugby #CastleLionsSeries #LionsSA2021
https://t.co/W7ao1JAq7U— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 3, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Always reluctant to blame a coach when losses rack up, but Penney must go. The backline is dysfunctional and the coach must carry the can. No cohesion, no idea and in many cases, minimal skill. The trains out of Roma St depart faster than the ball from Crusaders’ set pieces. Wouldn’t be surprised if the forwards went on strike.
1 Go to commentsAdding to earlier comment. Cullen Grace has been playing great at no6. Lio-Willie , who was on fire a few weeks ago, had a bad game. I think Cullen should have been moved to 8 earlier, Dominic Gardiner on earlier. Feel for Quinten Strange , put in a big shift .
4 Go to commentsWe dominated the scrums Ben Curry was all over pitch again .Surely James Harper got to be one of best English tightheads
1 Go to commentsRoos is a better option at 6 than 8 for the boks. Needs to work on his windgat though.
1 Go to commentsThe Sharks’ 2nd team maybe?
1 Go to comments‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
4 Go to comments> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
4 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to commentsAs a Crusaders fan , so disappointed , again.But I think Fergus Burke was all class for the Crusaders in his first game since October last year. Fletcher Newell , was so good at prop. Johnny McNicoll has been gold since returning from Wales. Noah Hotham brilliant , in a coming of age second season for the Crusaders.Jone Rova did really well at centre. The end of the game was tough.Sevu Reece , what a game/season in tough times.
4 Go to commentsFellas a balloon
3 Go to commentsBlues B team on display and made no race of it. By far the best team in SR with the Hurricanes barely getting past the winning post. Up the Blues 💙
7 Go to commentsWould be amazing to have Servette Genève reaching this level
3 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can't buy a win this season. Surely Penney's contract won't be renewed. There's still enough talent in the squad that they oughta be winning more.
1 Go to commentsABs captain for 23 seasons. Decent record. Surely nobody will surpass it. Legend. But alas a typo…
4 Go to commentsJust FYI Rugbypass, I for one am tired of your clickbait titles and thumbnails and will be clicking them no longer. Good day.
1 Go to commentsI think Farrell despite all of the stick he gets in the media is still one of if not the best fly half in the world. He is literally the full package. He can kick one of the best in the world, probably has the best defensive game of a fly half in the world and if he wants to he can run, take contact and find an offload to keep the pace of the attack. I dont know why he isnt spoken more about still being one of the best in the world with the likes of dupont. Farrell is the ultimate captain and team leader and is experienced- he has been in nearly any situation you can think of. I still believe due to these reasons that he is England’s best ever player and is still one of the best players in the world.
48 Go to commentsBlues are dominating up front and that’s been a long time coming. They have won the up front confrontation which is where canes, hilanders and act brumbies are also strong.
7 Go to commentsJust watched brumbies v safas game sadly not a show in he’ll thryr anywhere near quarters or semi contention. Admittedly some issues around new comers bot what stands out for me is coaching management, poor game planning and accuracy.
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