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SEVERAL FORMER WALES STARS ARE INVOLVED IN THE LAWSUIT WITH HUNDREDS OF NEW PLAYERS JOINING 14:30, 02 Jun 2025 More than 520 additional former rugby players have joined the High Court
concussion lawsuit against World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union and the Welsh Rugby Union, according to the law firm bringing the case. Rylands Garth says there are now more than 1,100
former players involved in the lawsuit, with 784 of the claimants from rugby union and 319 from rugby league, who are also taking action against the Rugby Football League (RFL) and the
British Amateur Rugby League Association (BARLA). Those involved in the lawsuit claim that the governing bodies failed to put in place reasonable measures to protect them from suffering
serious brain injuries during their playing careers. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. Friday, May 30
was the deadline for new players to join the legal actions, with the case potentially going to trial next year. Several Wales internationals are already among the claimants and they were
officially named after an anonymity order was lifted last year, with former British & Irish Lions full-back Lee Byrne among those to be revealed. The lifting of the anonymity order also
revealed former Wales back row Jonathan Thomas, prop and ex-Wales Womens coach Chris Horsman and ex-Scarlets and Dragons lock Adam Jones to be involved, as well as ex-Wales Women stars Nic
Evans and Jamie Kift. Article continues below Also among the 50 Wales internationals officially named last year was Lou Reed, Morgan Stoddart, Hal Luscombe and Rhys Gill. The likes of Gavin
Henson, Ian Gough and former skipper Colin Charvis had already been revealed to be part of the suit in 2023, while Alix Popham, Ryan Jones and Dafydd James are among those to have gone
public with their claims having all been diagnosed with early onset dementia. Popham has become a leading advocate for player welfare and founded the charity Head for Change, which supports
those who suffer from sports-related brain injuries. Appearing on Newsnight earlier this year, he admitted had "no recollection" of the biggest games of his career, explaining:
"My neurologist, when he diagnosed me, they worked out I had over 100,000 sub-concussive hits in my brain. "I know the teams that I played for, I know big games I played in because
usually I've got the jerseys on the wall or winning medals from playing in those games, but memories, vivid memories of the scoreline weather, the stadium, I've got no
recollection of that. "One game for Wales, I can't remember what year it was but it was in South Africa and we met [Nelson] Mandela before the game. I had a nasty head collision, a
traumatic brain injury in the game and woke up in hospital. "I watched the videos back, after I had a fit on the pitch, and I've got no recollection of being in that stadium or
being in that game. Unfortunately, most of my career is the same." The identities of the 520 additional claimants in the lawsuit have not been revealed. Others previously confirmed to
be involved include former England stars and World Cup winners Steve Thompson, Mark Regan and Phil Vickery, as well as ex-Lions Phil Greening and Harry Ellis. In a statement, a Rylands Garth
spokesperson said: "Players continue to play almost all-year round, with many elite players soon to embark on extremely physical summer tours across the rugby world. Article continues
below "We will continue to fight for justice for those who gave so much to the game." ALL OF THE CONFIRMED WALES INTERNATIONALS INVOLVED IN CONCUSSION LAWSUIT: * Adam Jones (lock)
* Alix Popham * Andrew Bishop * Andrew Coombs * Andrew Lamerton * Barry Davies * Ben Evans * Chris Horsman * Christopher Smith (rugby league) * Christopher Stevens * Colin Charvis * Dafydd
James * Darren Morris * David Bishop * David Llewellyn * Derwyn Jones * Emyr Lewis * Gareth Cooper * Gareth Williams * Gavin Evans * Gavin Henson * Gavin Thomas * Geraint Davies (rugby
league) * Glen Webbe * Hal Luscombe * Ian Gough * Iestyn Thomas * Jacob Emmitt (rugby league) * James Griffiths * Jamie Kift * Jamie Ringer * Jamie Robinson * Jonathan Thomas * Lee Byrne *
Leigh Davies * Lenny Woodard * Lou Reed * Mark Perego * Mathew Back * Matthew Jones * Mike Watkins * Morgan Stoddart * Nathan Budgett * Non Evans * Paul Ringer * Rhys Gill * Rhys Thomas *
Ryan Jones * Thomas James * Trefor Evans - _Ruth Walters as litigation friend_