England World Cup winner Steve Thompson says he cannot remember playing in the 2003 final – something he believes is a result of brain damage he sustained playing rugby. The ex-hooker is one of eight former rugby union players taking legal action against the game’s authorities after being diagnosed with brain damage, which they claim is a result of their playing career.
“This is the problem, I don’t remember any of it. The World Cup was on during the Covid period and in the evenings they were replaying the games. I’ve never watched the games.” Thompson said. “Obviously during the World Cup we would have looked at clips at how we could get better for the next game, but I’ve never actually watched all the games all the way through.”
“I was watching a game where England are playing, and I can see that I’m there, but I can’t remember any of it. I can’t remember being there whatsoever or being in Australia,” he added. “I also watched clips of the New Zealand games on YouTube, when we beat them in Twickenham and also won in New Zealand. I’m there but I can’t remember any of it.”
“I talked to the specialist about it and they say when you’ve had significant head trauma through that period, it’s like your head’s a camera and someone has just taken the film out. The camera is there but it’s not recording,” he concluded.
