Leigh and Wakefield coaches weigh in on mouthguard HIA debate as data questioned

Leigh boss Adrian Lam and Wakefield counterpart Daryl Powell both insisted the process around mouthguard-related HIAs needs to be improved after Leopards ace Gareth O’Brien was forced off for the second time this season at a crucial stage of a game.

The Leopards were beaten 18-14 at Belle Vue by Trinity on Friday night and have now lost four Super League games on the spin.

Veteran utility O’Brien, who is slotting in at full-back for Leigh in the absences of both David Armstrong and Bailey Hodgson, was forced from the field for a HIA just after the hour-mark despite presenting no concussion symptoms.

That’s because the light in his instrumented mouthguard, which have become mandatory this season, flashed to indicate a high force impact on him.

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‘That’s something we need to look at when there’s absolutely nothing wrong with the player on review’

O’Brien has suffered with head knocks over the last few years while with the Leopards, but this season has now twice been forced from the field for a mouthguard-enforced HIA without failing the assessment.

It also happened in their home defeat to Catalans Dragons, and unlike at Belle Vue, he never returned to the field that night because there were just 40 seconds remaining by the time he was free to re-enter the action.

Speaking post-match at Belle Vue, head coach Lam said: “That’s the second time it’s happened to him (O’Brien) where he’s not felt anything. The protocol stands that he’s got to be replaced for a HIA check.

“They told me it went off again as he ran up the tunnel to go back into the dressing room after the game.

“I know it’s a 15-minute protocol, but the frustrating part is that’s something we need to look at where when there’s absolutely nothing wrong with the player on review, that can become five minutes.

“What if there’s something wrong with the mouthguard at this stage? There is no clinical evidence.

“It didn’t cost us the game, but it just hurts with one of our key players not being involved in the important part at the end of the game.

“The same thing happened against Catalans, he missed the last 15 minutes from exactly the same thing.”

‘I would say if it is going to be impacting on key positions, then we’re going to need to think about what we have on the subs bench’

It’s not just Leigh who are experiencing issues with the new rules around the instrumented mouthguards.

On Friday night, it appeared that Wakefield‘s Caleb Hamlin-Uele had also been forced off for a HIA due to his mouthguard lighting up, and he too was eventually able to return to the action having come through the assessment.

Trinity boss Powell explained: “When we had the meeting at the start (of the season about the mouthguards), the question was how it was going to impact things.

“It’s not too bad if it’s middle unit players, if I’m honest, but if it’s half-backs our outside-backs then it is a lot more difficult to manage.

“I don’t particularly get it, I’m not a big fan, but I reckon we’ll probably get to the end of the season and see how it’s impacting things.

“I would say if it is going to be impacting on key positions, then we’re going to need to think about what we have on the subs bench, because it’s challenging.

“We’ve had a couple where it’s with the outside-backs, and it’s about how it impacts on the game as well.

“It’s interesting moving forward for the game to see how it evolves.”