The independent inquiries into incidents surrounding the HIA protocols during the France-Ireland game in the Stade de France are likely to continue for at least another week or two, such are the complexities of the cases, not least in bringing all the relevant parties together at one time and the nature of any evidence gathered.
There has been widespread speculation that the French allegedly manipulated the concussion protocols in determining that the home side's replacement scrumhalf, Antoine Dupont, required an HIA, which thus permitted Maxime Machenaud to return to the pitch.
However, it was the independent match doctor, Gilles Garet, who decreed that Dupont required an HIA, whereas the French team doctor had concurred with the player himself that he had suffered a knee injury.
"It's the match doctor that made the decision in the end," admitted Ireland skills and kicking coach Richie Murphy yesterday. "His [Dupont's] doctor and his medical staff said it was a knee injury on the pitch, and then the [independent] doctor from the sideline said differently."
The outcry would have been even bigger had Machenaud landed the 78th minute penalty which replacement outhalf Anthony Belleau missed. World Rugby had trialled a law amendment whereby a player returning to take the place of a player undergoing an HIA was not allowed to take kicks at goal, but had never passed this into law.
The French apply this protocol in the Top 14 and seemingly extended this to last Saturday, but Machenaud was fully entitled to take that 78th-minute penalty, which could have pushed France 16-12 ahead.
