Former British and Irish Lions wing Anthony Watson has admitted he deliberately manipulated a head-injury assessment to return to the field following the infamous high tackle by Sonny Bill Williams during the second Test of the 2017 Lions tour of New Zealand.
The incident, which remains one of the most controversial moments in recent Lions history, occurred in the 25th minute of the Test. Williams was shown a red card after charging into Watson with a direct shoulder to the head as the English winger gathered a loose ball and attempted to break upfield. The challenge left Watson visibly shaken and unsteady.
In a candid revelation featured in the BBC documentary Ben Youngs Investigates: How Safe Is Rugby?, Watson described how he felt hazy immediately after the collision. Despite experiencing symptoms, he was determined to return to the pitch for one of the most significant matches of his career.
“I knew the impact was big and as I got in to do the protocol I was starting to feel a bit hazy,” Watson explained. He emphasized that the Lions’ medical team had no knowledge of what he was doing and insisted he holds them in high regard. However, he admitted to having prepared in advance to beat a specific part of the concussion protocol.
At that time, the head injury assessment required players to remember five words given to them at the beginning of the season as part of their cognitive baseline testing. Watson had committed those words to memory: “elbow-apple-carpet-saddle-bubble.” By rehearsing them repeatedly beforehand, he ensured he could recall them under pressure.
“I managed to get through the walking tests and all of that,” Watson said. “And then when it came to the words, I knew it off by heart so I knew I was going to get straight back on.”
Television footage from the match showed Watson struggling to rise from a kneeling position after the hit, appearing momentarily disoriented. He was temporarily replaced by fellow England wing Jack Nowell while undergoing the assessment. Six minutes later, having passed the protocol, Watson returned to the pitch and completed the remainder of the Lions’ dramatic 24-21 victory.
Remarkably, Watson also played 72 minutes in the series decider at Eden Park a week later, a match that ended in a draw and secured a shared series result. For many players, participation in a Lions Test series is a once-in-a-career opportunity, which Watson acknowledged influenced his decision-making.
Reflecting on that night, he admitted suffering a severe headache afterward but said he would not change his actions if given another chance. “That night I had a pretty mental headache,” he recalled. “But if I could go back to then I wouldn’t do anything different – it was the second Lions Test. If I report a concussion there, I might rule myself out for next week and then wait four years to potentially do it again.”
Watson’s admission highlights the intense pressures elite athletes face, particularly during high-stakes tours such as those undertaken by the Lions. With only one tour every four years, the fear of missing out on a defining career moment can weigh heavily.
Since 2017, concussion protocols in rugby have evolved significantly. The recall element of the head injury assessment has been redesigned to prevent players from memorizing answers. Instead of a fixed list of five words compared against a baseline, players are now given a random sequence generated from a pool of 20 words. Because incorrect answers are penalized, attempting to memorize the entire bank would likely result in failure.
Additionally, modern protocols incorporate balance and orientation tests that must be passed in full before a player can return. Independent medical officials now review video footage of collisions, and the increasing use of smart mouthguards provides real-time impact data to support medical decisions. In certain circumstances, independent doctors can override a passed assessment if they believe a player remains at risk.
Watson’s former England teammate Jonny May previously admitted in 2019 that he had attempted to manipulate the same memory test following a head knock against Wales but failed to do so. That example further underscored the vulnerabilities in earlier concussion protocols.
While Watson defended his past decision, he acknowledged that current systems are far more robust. “It is too hard to fudge it now and I don’t think it is possible,” he stated. He expressed confidence that advancements in technology and stricter guidelines have made the game safer.
Watson retired from professional rugby in January 2025 at the age of 32 after struggling to recover from a persistent back injury. His reflections form part of a broader conversation about player welfare in contact sports. In recent years, rugby union has faced scrutiny over the long-term neurological effects of repeated head trauma, prompting governing bodies to strengthen safeguards.
Interestingly, Watson contrasted his own decision in 2017 with that of Garry Ringrose during the Lions’ 2024 tour to Australia. Ringrose withdrew himself from the second Test against the Wallabies despite being medically cleared, citing a recurrence of concussion symptoms from an earlier incident.
“Fair play to him,” Watson said, acknowledging how difficult it can be to step aside when symptoms are invisible. “It is hard to say, ‘No I can’t play because I have a concussion’ because no-one can see it – it is not visible.”
Watson insists that modern players are safer than ever before. He believes that while rugby will always carry inherent risks, technological advances and evolving medical standards continue to improve player protection. “As a professional, you acknowledge there are risks of playing the game but the tech and protocol means players are safer than they have ever been, and that is only going to improve,” he concluded.
His revelations offer rare insight into the mindset of elite athletes under pressure and raise important questions about balancing ambition with long-term health. While Watson stands by his choice in 2017, his story illustrates how far concussion management in rugby has progressed—and how essential continued vigilance remains.
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