THE TRUST PA HEADUP PROJECT 

The Aim of Trust PA HeadUP -

to reduce high level spinal cord injuries (SCI) in Rugby

This DVD can be seen by arrangement with the author &

is a combination of two pieces of recorded information.

The first film is of my son Paul-André Blundell (P-A) who had his spinal cord injured while tackling an opposing team player during a rugby union club game.

I had the film slowed right down so that we could establish for the coroner if there had been any foul play as PA had said while in hospital, that during the incident “someone either kicked me or kneed me in the forehead”. As you will see there was no foul play. So for a long time I did not understand why PA had been so devastatingly injured and instantly paralysed. He could not even breathe for himself unaided. To illustrate; the duty doctor at the game plus a team member (also a doctor) kept PA alive for 55mins by administering mouth to mouth ventilation, till the air ambulance arrived or he would have died on the pitch.

The second film is a copy of the Heads UP information which I obtained from the USA National Training Authority.

After playing the DVD and watching the explanation, I realised that to make a tackle by dropping one’s head (head down) is such a dangerous technique. When I reviewed PA’s accident video it was evident that, what hit him in the forehead was the opposing player’s hip. This collision and the closing impact of approx 27 stone/172Kg on PA’s neck displaced his neck vertebrae damaging his delicate spinal cord and paralysing him almost instantly. A similar accident that happened to Scottish player Thom Evans in the recent Six Nations, plus other players. 

This is the potential situation and outcome for any

player who tackles ‘Head Down’.

The Heads UP message is for players to protect themselves from spinal cord injury and paralysis which has life changing and devastating consequences. 

My Problem: The information is totally relevant to UK Rugby Union & Rugby League but has been produced for American Football where the problem has been both identified, recognised and acted on. It is now time for the rugby authorities in the UK to similarly recognise their responsability and help me share this impo

WHAT I WANT TO ACHIEVE

1.    Support for production of a UK Rugby Training DVD to illustrate in a similar way the Heads UP Message for the self protection of every Rugby Union & League Player.

2.    To have the information distributed to every school, club, regional, national and international playing team, including every trainer, referee and training facility throughout the rugby playing world.

3.    Also for the IRB to introduce a new rule, where head down is earmarked/treated as an unacceptable tackle technique.                                   

I have already shared the information with a number of people who support my

venture and also wish to see the above aims achieved.

Mr David Cobner Dean of Sport UWIC Prof.

John Fairclough Orthopaedic Surgeon WRU

Mr Sashin Ahuja, FRCS (Orth), Consultant Spinal Surgeon.

Dr Stephen Hunter Medical Director UHW - Deputy Health Minister Wales. 

JPR Williams MBE - former Wales International & British Lion - FRCS Orthopaedic Surgeon.

Gwyn Jones former Wales Captain & International.

Ms Bethan Jenkins AM

Robert Blundell Trust PA Charity Director (PA’s Dad)