England Rugby World Cup winner Steve Thompson has told Newsnight of his fury over a former concussion expert whose work on long-term brain conditions and contact sport has been discredited.

Dr Paul McCrory was chair of the international Concussion In Sport Group (CISG), whose Consensus Statements set the protocols for many sports, including guidance about head injuries and concussion.

But now, a journal that Dr McCrory was editor-in-chief of has retracted nine of his articles and placed an expression of concern on 74, for reasons including plagiarism.

When plagiarism concerns were raised earlier this year, his only public comments were that any errors were “not deliberate or intentional”.

Several former professional rugby players have spoken out about their experiences with the degenerative brain condition CTE, but experts have often been cautious about saying that one causes the other.

As the CISG meets today for the first time in six years, this week could see a change in approach. Our science correspondent Kate Lamble reports.

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