There is something special about rugby here. Standing on the First Team pitch, with the College buildings behind you and pupils gathered around the touchline, there is a real sense of occasion. You can feel how much it means to the pupils playing out there, representing their school and each other.

It’s a feeling that generations of Worksopians have shared. Our rugby heritage includes former pupil Nim Hall, who went on to represent and captain England, and Alan Old, who was a master at the College during a playing career in which he earned 16 England caps and was selected for the 1974 British & Irish Lions tour. More recently, former pupils have continued to make their mark in the game, including Stone Priestley-Nangle at Sale FC and Phil Boulton, who went on to make more than 120 appearances for Coventry Rugby.

I think that says something about what school sport can do. Of course, not every pupil will go on to play at a professional or international level, nor should that be the expectation. What matters just as much are the friendships, the shared experiences, the lessons in teamwork and the confidence that young people take away with them.

Rugby can be a brilliant part of that experience. But loving the game also means being honest about its risks.

Taking concussion seriously

There has been increasing discussion about concussion in rugby, particularly in young players, and rightly so. We have a responsibility to keep asking questions, reviewing our approach and making sure that pupil welfare comes first.

As someone who wants young people to enjoy sport and get as much out of it as possible, I don't see those two things as being in conflict. We should want pupils to experience the excitement of competitive rugby, to challenge themselves and to learn from being part of a team. We should also want them to be properly looked after if something goes wrong.

For parents, a suspected head injury can be frightening. There needs to be clarity about what happens next, who is involved and when a pupil can safely return to the classroom and the pitch. It shouldn't be left to guesswork.

That is why we are proud to have partnered with Luca, bringing clinician-led concussion management into our approach to pupil wellbeing.

Getting the right support in place

Through our partnership with Luca, a clinician-led concussion identification and management platform, we have a clear process for managing suspected concussions, from the initial incident on the pitch through to a safe return to learning and sport. Our coaches, health centre staff, teachers and parents will be kept informed at every stage.

For me, that consistency is important. If a pupil is injured, everyone involved needs to understand what happens next and how best to support them. That includes recognising that recovery isn't just about being ready to play again. It is also about feeling well enough to concentrate in lessons and manage the demands of a normal school day.

We want our pupils to feel confident taking part in sport, and we want parents to feel confident in the care and support available to them. Having the right processes in place is an important part of achieving both.

We can then make sure we take those risks seriously, respond appropriately and continue to learn as our understanding of concussion improves.

Why rugby will always matter

I would hate to see a future in which young people miss out on the experiences that make rugby so special. The camaraderie, the determination, the feeling of pulling on your school shirt and the memories you carry long after you leave school are all part of what makes the game so important.

At Worksop, we want to continue giving pupils those opportunities. We want them to enjoy competing, to support their teammates and to experience the pride that comes with representing their school.

But we also have a responsibility to make sure that, alongside all the excitement and tradition, we are doing everything reasonably possible to look after them.

For me, the two go hand in hand. We don't have to choose between loving rugby and taking concussion seriously. In fact, if we care about the future of the game, we should be doing both.

And if our pupils are going to create the kind of rugby memories that Old Worksopians still talk about decades later, we want to know that we have supported them as well as we possibly can along the way.

Adam Tillcock,
Director of Sport