Thursday 22 December 2016 19:13, UK
Northampton should not have escaped sanction over their handling of George North's head injury, according to critics of the Concussion Management Review Group's report.
The CMRG opted not to discipline Saints despite concluding there was "sufficient evidence" to halt North's return after he was apparently knocked unconscious during a December 3 game against Leicester.
And that verdict has been questioned by the Rugby Players Association (RPA), a leading brain injury charity and now Alistair Hargreaves, Saracens' Premiership-winning captain who retired in the autumn after a number of concussions.
"Decision made by CMRG is a disgrace," Hargreaves wrote on Twitter. "Is this what we call player welfare? What a depressing day for rugby."
The CMRG, set up by the Rugby Football Union and Premiership Rugby, made nine safety recommendations in the first report of its kind since a new concussion management system was introduced at the start of the season.
A statement from the RPA welcomed the recommendations but argued "sanctions would have sent a clear message about the gravity of concussion mismanagement".
And charity Headway expressed "concern" at the report, with chief executive Peter McCabe saying: "Serious questions have to be asked regarding the protocols: Are they fit for purpose and are they being properly enforced?
"This incident sends out a confusing message around the issue of concussion, particularly for children who follow the example of famous players and favourite clubs."
North returned to the field in the Leicester game but was later stood down pending assessment by an independent expert.
The Wales winger, who has suffered several head injuries and spent six months out in 2015, is back in training but will not face Sale this week.
Former World Rugby medical advisor and ex-Ireland full-back Barry O'Driscoll was equally scathing in his condemnation of the CMRG's verdict, adding World Rugby have a lot to answer for.
"This sends a very bad and worrying message," he said. "It sends a message that World Rugby have made an incredible mess of this whole business for four years now.
"They've been using this as an experiment, changing the rules each year, and it's resulted in so many brain-injured players going back on the field. George Ford has been [rendered] unconscious and yet he still passes a protocol which allows him back on the field.
"Players who have had seizures have been allowed back on the field because of this protocol, or 'so-called protocol'. It does not work. It does not have any clinical reference or justification for using it and if they don't be careful they are going to lay themselves open to serious problems."
