Rugby's concussion trial moves a step closer to reality after high court progress

Today at 11:22 AM

• Judge confident of issuing directions for trial this year
• Class action contains 386 union players, 177 from league

The class action being brought by hundreds of former rugby union and league players over the devastating effects of repetitive head injuries has taken a significant step forward at the high court in London.

Four years after the Guardian first reported that a group of eight former union players, including the World Cup winner Steve Thompson, had been diagnosed with neurological problems which they claimed were caused by their playing careers, the presiding judge, senior master of the king's bench division Jeremy Cook has set out a roadmap for the landmark case.