Ex-England star justifies cheating the system and calls on players to ‘take responsibility’

Former British and Irish Lions star Anthony Watson has claimed that players need to “take responsibility” for potential concussions, as many of his former colleagues complain about cognitive issues in retirement.

Speaking to Ben Youngs on the BBC’s new documentary, Ben Youngs Investigates: How Safe Is Rugby?, Watson reflected on his own struggles with concussion and the choices that he made.

Recalling a high head collision with Sonny Bill Williams during the Lions‘ second Test against New Zealand in 2017, Watson admitted to cheating his way through the Head Injury Assessment afterwards.

“I knew the impact was big. As I got in to do the protocol, I was starting to feel a bit hazy,” he said.

“I just want to caveat this by saying that I love the medical staff there, and they had no idea I was doing this at that stage.

“I knew the protocols. They give you five words to remember, so it’s elbow, apple, carpet, saddle, bubble. I managed to get through the walking tests and all of that stuff, and then when it came to the words, I knew them off by heart, so I knew I was going to get straight back on.”

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“That night, I had a pretty mental headache”

Despite passing the HIA, Watson’s troubles were not over. In fact, later that evening, he felt the full effects of the knock to the head.

“That night, I had a pretty mental headache,” he revealed. “But if I could go back to that, I wouldn’t do anything differently, because it’s a Lions test, second test, if I report a concussion there, then I might rule myself out for next week. You have to wait four years to potentially do it again.

“A Lions tour happens once every four years; you may not get another opportunity, and therefore you’re not ruling yourself out.”

As the medical staff did not identify any signs of concussion, Watson was free to play in the final Test in Auckland, which famously ended 15-15, resulting in a drawn series.

The 32-year-old would appear on the 2021 Lions tour of South Africa, playing in both the first and second Tests, before being dropped for the third.

That would be his final time on a Lions tour, after retiring through injury in 2024, a year before the Lions would head to Australia to take victory over the Wallabies.

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“The onus of the players”

Watson certainly took responsibility for his physical and mental health when playing, and he believes others should do the same.

“With regards to whether it’s on the onus of the players, I think you have to take responsibility, and ultimately, you have to be smart and control your own destiny.”

Asked if rugby has a problem, Watson said: “I don’t think so. I think that, as a professional, you acknowledge that there are risks of playing the game, but the tech and the protocol and stuff like that mean that players are, in my opinion, safer than they’ve ever been, and that’s only going to improve.”

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