Clermont’s Morgan Parra was fit to return, concludes head injury review

• Decision by referee appeared to go against official protocol for head injuries
• Parra left field during match against Northampton but was allowed to return

Serious questions over the management of head injuries have been raised again after an independent review found Clermont Auvergne’s Morgan Parra was correctly allowed to return to the field during the Champions Cup match against Northampton on Saturday, despite the referee’s claim at the time that the Frenchman had lost consciousness.

World Rugby’s head injury assessment protocols state if loss of consciousness is suspected by the match officials the player should be “immediately and permanently removed from play”, but Parra returned to the pitch minutes after the incident which left him face down in the turf. Television footage shows Parra lying on the ground after his head collided with Luther Burrell’s knee. The referee, Ben Whitehouse, can be heard saying “he’s unconscious” but minutes later Parra returned for Clermont, who had already lost their fly-half Camille Lopez to injury.

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from The Guardian http://ift.tt/2y2YTtq