According to Dr John McCann of the spinal injuries clinic at Musgrave Park Hospital in Belfast, five rugby players have been through his doors over the last 10 years as a result of accidents that have occurred on pitches in Northern Ireland. This brings the total number paralysed in Ireland to 15 since 1990. Most of the incidents involved players who were not competing at the highest level.

Accidents, however, do also happen to internationals. Max Brito of The Ivory Coast was paralysed in the 1995 World Cup, while Irish centre Mark McCall was forced out of the game after injuring his neck in a tackle last year playing for Ulster. McCall, luckily, suffered no permanent damage.

Judging from private sentiments expressed at the recent fund-raising banquet in Dublin for Mark Governey, injured last year playing for Lansdowne, the IRFU may soon be asked to provide something other than the inadequate insurance scheme currently in place.