PHOENIX: Some of Australia’s rugby union greats are taking part in a study to reveal any damage years of tackles may do to the brains and hearts of former elite players.
Former Wallabies Simon Poidevin, John Eales and Owen Finegan are among those undergoing tests by researchers from the Heart Research Institute at Sydney University.
A total of 30 former international rugby union players will take part in the study, alongside 30 athletes who have played non-contact sports.
“They’re essentially volunteering their bodies, to help us understand what a lifetime of rugby does,” said head researcher Professor Stuart Grieve from Sydney University.