Leicester Tigers have fears over Geoff Parling's health after repeated concussions as Tom Youngs is ruled out of England's autumn internationals with shoulder surgery

• Geoff Parling has suffered two concussions in three games
• Tom Youngs set to miss the next three months following surgery
• Manu Tuilagi set to return from injury on October 4 

Leicester have vowed to safeguard Geoff Parling’s long-term health as they seek urgent specialist advice for the England lock after the latest in a worrying series of concussion setbacks.

The 30-year-old was helped off during the second half of his club’s record 45-0 defeat at Bath on Saturday having apparently suffered another damaging blow to the head. 

The Tigers have concerns and doubts about his future playing prospects, but the player’s personal welfare is undoubtedly their priority. 

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Leicester Tigers are having fears over Geoff Parling's career after suffering from multiple concussions

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Leicester's Parling, aged 30, has had ongoing issues with concussion

Parling has suffered head trauma several times in the past year and this latest episode comes just weeks after a similar injury in a pre-season match against Edinburgh.

Concussion has become a huge issue for rugby and many other sports and Leicester are not going to take any chances, despite the prospect of losing an experienced Lion, who started two of England’s Tests in New Zealand in June, for an indeterminate period.

Leicester director rugby Richard Cockerill said: ‘He got concussed in Edinburgh, had three weeks off, played against Cardiff, was good, then played against Exeter and got a bang on the head again versus Bath, so that’s two concussions in three games.

‘We’re waiting for advice from the specialist but he won’t be fit this week and he may need some down-time because he’s had consecutive concussions very quickly and clearly that’s not healthy.

‘It is a concern for his health. Playing is secondary. He had a concussion in the Six Nations, he had a concussion at the end of the season and now he’s had two in very quick succession in pre-season and at the start of the season. The bigger picture is Geoff’s well-being more than playing.’

Asked if there are any fears that Parling may not be able to carry on playing, Cockerill added: ‘I don’t know the answer to that. You would like to think that with the right rest and expertise, he will be fine, but I don’t know.

Tom and Ben Youngs on youth and England ahead of Bath clash

‘He is doing the usual cognition protocols and everything else they do. He’s going to see the right people. He came in yesterday and feels OK in himself but for all the right reasons we have to go through all the right protocols. I don’t want any of our players out there with potential brain injuries from concussions or whatever it may be because that’s not right.

‘I need Geoff on the field but not to the detriment of his long-term health. If he needs a few weeks because that’s the right thing to do to get over this problem then we need to do that. There are some times when it’s only a game.’

Concussion has been the subject of increased awareness and improving medical procedures since Wallaby flanker George Smith’s swift return to the field against the Lions last summer — following a clash of heads with Richard Hibbard — exposed concerns about the management of head injuries.

Several years ago, New Zealand captain Richie McCaw was able to downplay his own repeat concussion problems, but now all cases are being treated with due care and caution.

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Tom Youngs will be out for the next three months after undergoing shoulder surgery 

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Youngs will not be fit to face New Zealand, South Africa, Samoa and Australia in November

The uncertainty over Parling’s health and hopes of making a comeback have added to Leicester’s injury crisis. Cockerill is without a multitude of leading players and yesterday he revealed that Tom Youngs will join the mounting casualty list.

The England hooker is expected to be out until Christmas after having surgery on the shoulder he damaged in the drubbing at The Rec.

‘Tom Youngs has popped his AC joint and has had surgery on it yesterday,’ said Cockerill. ‘He is probably going to be out for three months. He carried the ball, Dave Attwood fell on him, he just got caught awkwardly and his AC popped out.

‘When you get separation between that and your shoulder joint, it has to be fixed. The collarbone just pops out at the top. If it’s stable, it just needs rest but if it’s a bit unstable then they wire it so it stays in position. It heals over time … three months’ time.

‘It’s disappointing because Tommy is a world-class player and he gives you great impact either off the bench or starting. We’ve already got three front-rowers missing and now Tommy is out too.’

The Tigers were also without Manu Tuilagi last weekend but hope the England centre will be fit to return from a groin strain against Gloucester at Kingsholm on October 4.

IRB TIGHT GUIDELINES IN REGARDS TO HEAD INJURIES

The IRB’s revised directives, headed ‘recognise and remove’, list the symptoms of concussion as ‘convulsive, headache, knocked out, nauseous, unsteady, confused, dazed, dizzy’ followed by the clear message: ‘Any of these — get them off NOW.’

The full IRB guidance suggests these ‘six Rs’: ‘Recognise, remove, refer, rest, recover, return.’

All players diagnosed with concussion by ‘an appropriately qualified person’ must be removed from the field of play and not return to play or train on the same day, and complete the graduated return to play protocol.