ABSTRACT
In South Africa neuropsychological research on concussion has focused on Rugby Union, with an emphasis on persistent rather than acute and subacute effects. A comparison of the incidence of overall injury for three types of football played at Eton revealed Rugby Union to be the most dangerous. The important point that arises out of Brain Reserve Capacity theory for research purposes in Rugby Union, is that due to different levels of pre-existing cerebral reserve in association with the onset of neural attrition, it must be expected that the presentation of symptomatology will occur differentially between individuals. Rugby players were assessed pre-season in order to exclude the acute and subacute effects of concussion. The most appropriate available normative data for each of the tests were used, the same standard being applied for rugby and equivalent control group participants.
