Editorial: Tragedy of brain injury is a reminder of rugby’s brutal reality

Former Blues halfback Billy Guyton (right). Photo / Photosport

OPINION:

The tragic death of former Blues halfback Billy Guyton has brought the brutal reality of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) to the doorstep of our national game.

After he died last year in what is thought to have been a suicide, Guyton’s brain was studied by Auckland’s Neurological Foundation Human Brain Bank. From there, the sad news of the diagnosis was relayed to his family.

Rugby and (to an even greater degree) league are sports not so much marked by heavy physical collisions, but rather defined by them. In both codes, big players make hard yards slamming into one another before typically smaller ones make fast yards before getting slammed hard.

From our seats in the grandstand or on the sofa at home, we celebrate the collisions just as much as we are horrified by the injuries they induce.

In recent years, the collisions have become bigger as players have increased in size and speed.

Efforts to protect the brain in these collisions are noble and nascent. Fans often despair at conflicting and confusing yellow and red card rulings. These sports are at the cusp of a realisation about their fatal outcomes, just as science and technology rise to offer solutions and pathways forward.

Guyton, just 33 when he died, is the first New Zealand-based player to have their death clearly linked to CTE. He’s unlikely to be the last.

The discussions started in earnest earlier overseas. New Zealand Rugby will be watching with interest to see how the National Football League in the US handles concerns and legal cases relating to CTE.

It was his family who requested that his brain be examined; it’s to be hoped their loss can help lead to better understanding of the issue and better protection for players and their loved ones.