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8th April 2015
06:02pm BST

'I was texting Johnny after his game against Saracens, just saying hard luck and he wished me all the best on my return to play and he said if I had any issue to give him a call. Obviously he went through that stuff for three months and saw how careful they were with him, so you just can't be careful enough with the brain and the head.'Evidence - anecdotal and empirical - of the impact concussions has come to light in recent years through the accounts of rugby people such as Bernard Jackman, Dr Barry O'Driscoll, Shontayne Hape and Dr Michael Webb. To that end, big hits in rugby [see: Courtney Lawes on Jules Plisson] are not being lauded as much as in previous years. McFadden was asked if he would ever let his son play rugby if such thundering collisions, from increasingly built-up players, continue to dominate the landscape. He commented:
'I think I would [like to see my children play rugby],' he declared. 'I love it and really enjoy it. Taking in that isolated tackle, it was great for the spectators and for the players. In fairness to Anthony Watson, he jumped up straight afterwards. He wasn't injured. It was just a good, honest tackle.
'Whereas, in the second-half, it was a bit innocuous; my head getting caught flush on his jaw. His shoulder, my jaw, going at that speed. Those things happen... you saw what happened to George North a few weeks ago and the knee on the head [when he was knocked out].'
McFadden added, 'It is scary at times, but all contact sports are. You go to a championship game at Croke Park and there are some massive collisions there, in football games. It would not stop me, if I did have kids, from having them playing the sport.'
*McFadden helped launch the Bank of Ireland Leinster Rugby Summer Camps in Old Wesley R.F.C. The camps will take place in 22 locations all across the province this summer. For more information log on to www.leinsterrugby.ie/camps.