Joe Marler has opened up on his worrying bouts of concussion - but insists rugby is now making progress with player safety.
A number of ex-players are involved in a legal battle with rugby bosses as they battle significant brain injuries, including England World Cup winner Steve Thompson and ex-Wales captain Ryan Jones. A recent study also found that almost half of 180 ex-players believe they have a long-term brain problem.
England and Harlequins star Marler believes the protocols have come a long way but was once so concussed he forgot he had his four children.
"That was a pretty stark moment for me. To then be reminded by the kit man that I do have them but they weren’t at the stadium – they were rebirthed all over again so it was a wave of emotion.," he told ITV.
"We’re definitely making progress with the safety measures that need to be taken in the right way to make rugby as safe as possible.
"We’re as educated as we can be about as professionals it at the moment. We’re lucky in that regard and we can make informed decisions about it going forward."
There have been calls for rugby bosses to consider eliminating contact in training to reduce the amount of impact players are suffering.
Marler's comments come after Thompson admitted to hiding his World Cup winners' medal because he feels like a 'phoney', unable to remember the famous 2003 success.
"If I hadn't done it, I might not be such a burden on the family," he says in a BBC documentary set to air this week titled Head On: Rugby, Dementia and Me.
