World Rugby concussion lawsuit jeopardized by lawyer's filing error

More than a thousand former rugby union and league players have sued World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union (RFU), the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and the Rugby Football League over alleged head‑injury harms. The High Court in London, presided over by Judge Jeremy Cook, warned that the claimants’ lead solicitor, Richard Boardman, failed to file the required neurological examination reports on time. As a result, the judge said up to 95 % of the first 561 claimants – including 2003 World Cup winners Phil Vickery, Mark Regan and Steve Thompson, as well as former Wales star Gavin Henson – could have their cases dismissed. "The only grievance in this case concerns the way Mr Boardman managed the case files," Cook stated, emphasizing that the plaintiffs should not be blamed for the procedural lapse.

Boardman has notified the court of his intention to step away, and the claimants have unanimously voted to seek new representation, with law firm Leigh Day reviewing a possible takeover. The litigation, launched in 2020, has seen little progress and now faces the risk of collapse unless a new counsel can assume the case and supply the missing evidence.