Warren Gatland responds to criticism of Luke Cowan-Dickie role

[ad_1]

Warren Gatland has insisted he followed all the medical advice available to him when selecting Luke Cowan-Dickie to play on Saturday.

Cowan-Dickie left the British and Irish Lions ‘bench in their first game on South African soil on Saturday, after appearing to have been eliminated in the Exeter Chiefs’ Gallagher Premiership final against the Harlequins the previous weekend .

Gatland and the Lions coaching staff have come under fire from former England international Kyran Bracken for selecting Cowan-Dickie, but Kiwi’s coach revealed to WalesOnline that the hooker was cleared of concussions.

PRIDE OF LIONS @ExeterChiefs quartet Jonny Hill, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Sam Simmonds and Stuart Hogg line up after appearing for @lionsofficial in their clash with the Sigma Lions pic.twitter.com/lOSvg7hY6w

Exeter Chiefs (@ExeterChiefs) July 4, 2021

Warren Gatland on Luke Cowan-Dickie.

“There are strict protocols that our medical team follows and that World Rugby has in place that players must adhere to,” said Gatland.

“We had Luke examined by a world-renowned concussion specialist and he cleared him as well. He had followed all the protocols. People who don’t know much about concussions. each player is affected differently.

“All I can say is that I am 100% following the advice of the medical team. They go through the protocols and when a player is declared fit, he is taken into account for selection.

“I can tell you that there is definitely no pressure on the rugby side. If he was not right, he would not have been selected.

Kyran Bracken’s review of the Lions selection.

Bracken, who is a member of a lobby group trying to reduce brain damage in rugby known as Progressive Rugby, took to Twitter after the Lions squad’s announcement on Thursday.

The former England scrum-half argued the hooker should not have been allowed to play as he was’ unconscious for more than 20 seconds’ in the Premiership final seven days before the Lions’ first game in Africa. South.

Cowan-Dickie came on in the 69th minute for the Lions on Saturday and will start for the touring team this Wednesday against the Sharks.

Find out more about: british and irish lions, Luke Cowan Dickie, warren gatland

[ad_2]