Blow for England as Harlequins reveal Mike Brown is still suffering concussion symptoms
Full-back unlikely to play again this season because of headaches ‘throughout the day’ two months after being knocked out
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Your support makes all the difference.The England rugby union full-back Mike Brown is still suffering from concussion symptoms two months after being knocked out during the Six Nations and is unlikely to play again this season, Conor O’Shea, Harlequins’ director of rugby, revealed on Tuesday.
With the World Cup fast approaching and Brown normally one of the first names on Stuart Lancaster’s England teamsheet, the declaration by O’Shea will trouble the England coach no end.
Brown was involved in a sickening collision with Italy’s Andrea Masi on 14 February and missed England’s game against Ireland a fortnight later as a result. The 29-year-old then went through the “return-to-play” protocols and featured against Scotland and France in the final two rounds of the Championship.
However, the symptoms returned when Brown went back to club duty and O’Shea yesterday reported he is still suffering from headaches “throughout the day”.
Harlequins have stopped him taking part in any form of training as a result and have ruled him out of their next two league games, with O’Shea admitting Brown will also “probably” miss their match against Newcastle on 16 May.
With Harlequins unlikely to reach the Aviva Premiership play-offs, that would bring Brown’s season to a premature end and O’Shea says he is unable to accurately forecast when the full-back will return to action.
Yet despite that, O’Shea claims he is confident Brown will recover in time for the World Cup in September despite acknowledging he is in “a pretty tough place”.
“Mike has played just six league games for us this season and it looks like it will probably stay that way,” said O’Shea, who suspects Brown picked up a secondary head injury against the French.
“He comes in to see the medics but until he’s symptom-free, he won’t resume any sort of training. It’s probably the wrong turn of phrase but it’s doing his head in because he can’t train and is very frustrated. He has headaches throughout the day.
“If it’s an ankle injury, you can grade it and set a timescale. This is more ‘how long is a piece of string?’ Are we worried? Of course we’re worried. He didn’t even enjoy his week away. I feel for him.
“If I said to you ‘go home, you’ll have headaches for the next month and you don’t know when they are going to stop’ – well that’s a pretty tough place to be and that is where he is at the moment.
“We care about him and support him. I want to see Mike Brown right when he is in his 50s, not when he is in his prime. He will not undergo a normal return-to-play procedure now. It will be a more extensive procedure. It’s not about Quins, it’s about Mike.”
O’Shea did add, although of course this did come after his “piece of string” admission: “He’ll have the World Cup warm-ups and he’ll be fine. The World Cup is not an issue at all. With your England hat on, you might say this enforced break is the best thing for his limbs.”
The news about Brown comes three weeks after Northampton’s Wales winger George North was stood down by his club after he was knocked unconscious for the third time in two months.
O’Shea, however, has launched a staunch defence of the England medical team and claims attitudes have changed in regard to concussion. “How anyone can question the ethics of anyone on the medical side of this is beyond me. He has been treated excellently.
“Mike was honest enough to pull himself from the Irish game and everyone looks after player. Even a slight intimation is just wrong that anyone will not look after a player’s best interests. This isn’t like the old days – it’s not a badge of honour any more.”
KNOCKOUT BLOWS: Other concussions this season
Geoff Parling Leicester second-rower sat out three months after suffering a blow to the head against Bath in September.
George North After three blows to the head in a Wales shirt in the Six Nations, knocked out playing for Northampton last month.
Johnny Sexton Knocked on head playing for Ireland against Australia – his fourth head injury of the year – and suffered nausea and headaches. Returned after three months out.
Leigh Halfpenny Treated for concussion after being struck on the head in Italy last month. Returned for Toulon earlier this month.
Dan Biggar Wales outside-half was taken off after suffering heavy blow playing for Ospreys in October but returned a week later.
Rory Watts-Jones Cardiff flanker suffered from concussion-related injury, including behavioural changes, in November and forced to retire this year.
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