'Silent epidemic' of brain damage and dementia caused by concussion in rugby and other sports

ODriscoll, who resigned from the IRB medical advisory board two years ago in protest at its handling of head injuries, cites the treatment of his own nephew, Brian ODriscoll, as evidence of the problem.

Speaking at the film premiere last week, Alex Corbisiero, the England and Lions player, said the games protocols for dealing with concussion were laughable.

Former players Lewis Moody and Rory Lamont have both also called for stricter controls, suggesting the decision to return to play should be taken by doctors because players would be too influenced by their own career conisiderations.

Head injuries can increase the risks of dementia, in particular chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

While boxers were long known to be at risk of brain damage, the risk from other contact sports has only more recently become known.

Chris Bryant MP, a former amateur player, has called for a parliamentary inquiry into the way sports handle the issue of concussion, warning that lawsuits over the issue could otherwise be a "real possibility".

Such lawsuits have already been seen in the US, where 4,500 former American football players launched a class action suit against the NFL, accusing the league of hiding the dangers of brain injury after research showed that former players were being affected by CTE.

A district judge in January rejected a proposed $765m settlement, suggesting it was insufficient to cover all retired players who would ultimately be diagnosed with injuries.

In November the Rugby Football Union set up a working group to research the link between multiple concussion and dementia.

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'Silent epidemic' of brain damage and dementia caused by concussion in rugby and other sports