Ex-Lions Byrne and Greening named in concussion lawsuit

Byrne started the first Test for the British and Irish Lions against South Africa in 2009 before a thumb injury ended his tour

Former British and Irish Lions Lee Byrne and Phil Greening are among 390 rugby union players taking part in the concussion lawsuit against the sport's authorities.

Full-back Byrne, 44, won 46 caps for Wales and was part of the team's 2008 Grand Slam, before starting the first Lions' Test against South Africa the following year.

Greening, who won 24 caps at hooker for England, was part of the 2001 Lions' tour to Australia.

Other names to be revealed after the lifting of anonymity for a group involved in the legal action include ex-Wales internationals Gareth Cooper, Iestyn Thomas, Jonathan Thomas and Tom James, former Scotland back row David Denton, retired Wasps back row Dan Ward-Smith and Saracens stalwart Kris Chesney.

Heather Stirrup, part of the England women's team which won a landmark World Cup in 1994, and Nic Evans, who played for Wales and Wasps Ladies, are also named.

Steve Thompson, Mark Regan and Phil Vickery - part of England's 2003 Rugby World Cup-winning squad - former Wales stars Gavin Henson, Colin Charvis and Ryan Jones and England and Lions scrum-half Harry Ellis are some of those seeking damages from World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union and the Welsh Rugby Union for failing to put in place reasonable measures to protect their health and safety.

They believe that the alleged negligence led to long-term neurological complications.

World Rugby, the RFU and WRU have questioned the way the lawyers at the centre of the case have pursued it.

"Throughout the four years this legal case has taken to date, rugby's priority has always been the welfare of the players," they said in a joint statement.

"Whilst we cannot reach out to any of the individual players involved in legal action, what we would want them to know is that we listen, we care and we never stand still on player welfare.

"The delays in this case and conduct of the claimants' lawyers is a great cause of concern. In the interests of the players, we urge Rylands Garth to meet all court imposed deadlines and to present the full details of the case they are making against us.

"Only that way can we move this matter closer to the court hearings which will provide a resolution to this issue, which is surely in the interest of all parties."

Green, who won four England caps and played for Wasps and Irish province Leinster, retired in 2007

Rylands Garth is still being investigated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority over a claim by former Wasps and England prop Will Green that he was pressurised into joining the legal action despite obtaining an independent diagnosis that did not detect the brain damage that the firm's medical contractors had seen in a scan.

A judge ruled that the legal terms Rylands Garth had signed with Green were "at very best, vague, muddled and highly confusing" as he dismissed the company's attempt to force Green to pay for the assessment they had arranged.

Speaking about the latest names to be revealed, a Rylands Garth spokesperson said: "Certain players asked for anonymity and we wanted to pursue protection as far as we believed legally possible.

"The governing bodies could have consented to our clients' desire for anonymity but chose not to. Indeed, the governing bodies have contacted the media today to further alert them to this issue which is disappointing.

"We continue to thank our players for their bravery in this action. We have tested over 1,400 sportsmen and women, and firmly believe that this litigation is a force for good."