There is no dispute that player safety is a major part of our duties as a referee. This means we have an obligation to maintain an awareness of and, where possible, control of situations that can lead to serious injury (take high tackles as an example).

Concussion is a very real threat to player safety and the seriousness of it can sometimes not be immediately apparent. Undetected, it can lead to some very unpleasant outcomes which could even be life threatening.

For this reason, the RFU insists that head injuries are treated with the highest priority and that those directly involved in the game (players/coaches/officials/physios etc) are properly trained to recognise and respond to possible incidences of concussion.

If you have not already done so, you are strongly urged to complete the Online Concussion Training Module – Headcase. This will take around 20 minutes and can be accessed at:

http://www.englandrugbyfiles.com/concussion/courses/match-officials/

LSRUR referees have so far been slow to complete this course and I urge you to do so without delay to prove that we operate to the best standards and prioritise player safety.

You may even save someone’s life.