The family of a 14-year-old boy who died from brain injuries sustained while playing rugby union has spoken of their grief and called for the sport to address its handling of concussion. Benjamin Robinson, a pupil at Carrickfergus Grammar School in Northern Ireland, died after a match against Dalriada in September. A coroner ruled the cause of death as Second Impact Syndrome, a rare condition caused by multiple blows to the head in a short period.
Benjamin's mother, Karen Walton, described concussion as 'rugby's dirty secret' and said she was certain another family would suffer a similar tragedy. 'Will this happen again? Yes. I would say without a doubt another family will go through what we have been through,' she said. Since 2006, at least five children and one adult have died worldwide from brain injuries suffered while playing rugby.
The coroner noted that Benjamin was the first person in the UK to die from Second Impact Syndrome while playing rugby. His father, Peter Robinson, said there were 'so many failings' on the day of the match. He argued that a chain of health-and-safety procedures involving players, coaches, referees and parents should have been in place. If any one link had worked, Benjamin's concussion would have been spotted and he might have survived.
Benjamin had initially preferred football to rugby but began to enjoy the sport after learning from his father and stepfather. He won a prize for most improved player in his third year. His mother described him as 'awesome, loving, vibrant' – words now carved on his headstone. The family hopes that by speaking out, they can prevent future deaths and force rugby to confront its concussion problem.
