chief executive Proposed new participation rules for rugby players with previous head injuries could take longer to be approved than expected. The Northland Rugby Union (NRU) board met the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU), in Wellington on Monday night to discuss possible rule changes. NRU operations manager Greg Shipton provided written proposalson how repeated head injuries could be dealt with after a player, Darryl Sabin, suffered serious head injuries in a Far North rugby game two weeks ago. Darryl is still in a coma at Auckland City Hospital. The NRU wants to be more assertive in monitoring players who have had repeated concussions, to prevent future injuries. Under IRB rules at present, players who suffer a knock to the head have a three-week stand-down period after each injury. NRU chief executive Jim Smillie said the board considered options put forward by Mr Shipton and decided to discuss them with the NZRU. "As the options have implications for the game on a national basis, we need to discuss them with the NZRU," Mr Smillie said. "There are issues like logistics and the practicality of administering the number of games, players and officials, many of who are volunteers." He said cases such as Darryl Sabin's - which he described as a one-off - could be dealt with a number of ways under the proposal. The Northland union would not divulge the options before the board because they were subject to discussion, he said. Darryl's father, Mike Sabin, has given the proposed rules his backing, saying the NZRU should adopt them. The system at present did not appropriately identify and manage injuries, he said. Darryl had sustained knocks resulting in concussion five times in earlier games. He went into a coma after he received a knock to the head in a tackle at Te Hapua, 30km southeast of Cape Reinga on April 25. Darryl was flown to Auckland City Hospital for emergency surgery to relieve swelling on his brain. He was taken off life support several days ago, a chest infection had cleared and his brain was starting to stabilise, his father said. The Sabin family has received messages of support from the rugby community and Northlanders, including All Blacks coach Graham Henry. Henry's note to Darryl read: "Keep up the fight and onwards and upwards." New Zealand has 140,000 rugby players involved in 3000 games every week.
