One in five professional rugby union players in England suffered concussion during the 2018-19 season, according to the latest medical figures released by the Rugby Football Union (RFU).
The frequency of concussions — measured by the number of incidents per 1000 hours of playing time — is the second highest it has ever been.
The highest recorded concussion incidence was 20.9 per 1000 hours in 2016-17.
The figures come in the wake of several former players taking legal action against World Rugby, the RFU and the Wales Rugby Union (WRU).
The basis of the claim made on behalf of the nine test cases — legal firm Rylands Law say they were talking to more than 130 more retired players — is the sport’s governing bodies failed to provide sufficient protection from the risks caused by concussion.