Can rugby survive its head injury problem? - The Sunday Story
The Story
The Times
3.9 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 26 April 2026
⏱️ 47 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Shane Christie was one of the brightest rugby stars in New Zealand before suffering multiple concussions, leading to a brain injury that would slowly take everything from him. And his experience is far from unique. In this deeply personal account, David Walsh talks to Shane's former partner, Holly Parkes, to ask, What happened? What does Shane's story reveal about the sport he loved deeply? And can rugby survive the fallout?
This is part one of a two-part special investigation into the crisis facing this global game.
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Guest: Holly Parkes
Host: David Walsh, chief sports writer, The Sunday Times
Producer: Sophie McNulty
We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com
Read more: The concussion files
Clips: Harlequins - YouTube.
Photo: Getty Images.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Before we start, this episode contains mentions of suicide and self-harm. |
| 0:09.3 | From The Times and the Sunday Times, this is the story. I'm David Walsh. |
| 0:18.7 | It promises to be quite a night for aficionados of New Zealand rugby. |
| 0:24.1 | We are at the Stoop, a rugby stadium in West London, Twickenham. |
| 0:29.0 | It's a midweek evening in November, 2016. |
| 0:33.5 | Well, it's been a wet evening, certainly thus far. |
| 0:37.6 | Lots of rain, very wintry, cold. |
| 0:41.7 | The home team, Harlequins, are playing the visiting New Zealand Maori team. |
| 0:46.5 | The Maori have come to the south-west of the capital, |
| 0:49.8 | and they brought the team brimming with quality and super rugby experience. |
| 0:57.2 | In that New Zealand Maori team is a flanker, Shane Christie, wearing the number seven. |
| 1:04.8 | And in the first half, which is dominated by the New Zealand Maori, Shane Christie is one of the stars. |
| 1:12.3 | Christie in the tradition of good number seven |
| 1:14.3 | has been all over the field. |
| 1:16.1 | He scores a good try. |
| 1:17.9 | And it's gone the way of Shane Christie. |
| 1:20.9 | And then sets up a try for his teammate, Sean Wanoi. |
| 1:24.1 | And this time it's Sean Wai Dui. |
| 1:31.7 | 39 minutes in the game. |
| 1:35.6 | He makes a tackle, a regular, normal tackle, |
| 1:38.0 | but doesn't get immediately up. |
| 1:41.4 | Instead, he gingerly gets to his feet. |
... |
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