I have to say it does look very bad. I just picked up on this now (busy day!), and immediately I was thinking to myself "how could we sign him?". I'm sorry but you would think that such a serious history of concussion was bound to come up at some stage during the vetting process?

Maybe it did and there is a contractual "out" for Connacht. Either way I hope that Craig is thinking of his health here first.

10 concussions in less than 2 years? If that is accurate and with all the research coming to light on the topic he had no business playing as it was. As much as it pains me as a Connacht supporter, at 31 I would advise him to retire. His health and well being are far more important.

I was unaware of his recent history with concussions. In that light perhaps his signing was less of a coup than I initially thought and more down to the better resourced teams unwilling to gamble on him staying away from another knock to the head.

100% agree connachtexile

He shouldn't play for the rest of the season and then be evaluated. I'm a huge fan of his which his why his welfare has to come first.

Squad Update ahead of Glasgow game
04th February 2014

It’s back to the RaboDirect PRO12 this week as the senior Connacht squad prepare to travel to Scotland to take on the Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun Stadium.

The Connacht Eagles are also in action this week, welcoming Munster ‘A’ to the Sportsground for a Friday afternoon kick off (2:30pm).

There was a week’s break following the disappointing European Cup game against Saracens which allowed the squad some much needed rest and recuperation. However, there are still a number of injury concerns ahead of this week’s game.

It was announced to the media yesterday that Craig Clarke will be unavailable to play for an unspecified number of weeks. The 31-year-old captain sustained a concussion in the round 6 Heineken Cup game at Allianz Park and will be taking some time out due to the nature of his injury.

Both front rowers Brett Wilkinson and Sean Henry have been ruled out for at least four weeks due to neck injuries aggravated in the last game.

Flanker Aaron Conneely, who last played for the Eagles in their victory over Llanelli in the British & Irish Cup, suffered an ankle injury in training last week and is unavailable to play for up to six weeks.

In better news, Pat Lam’s back line has been boosted by the return to training of Miah Nikora, Dave McSharry and Danie Poolman. Both Poolman and McSharry have played in seven games each this season while Nikora has been recovering from a shoulder injury sustained in pre-season. It is hoped that the trio will be available to play in either the PRO12 or ‘A’ interprovincial game this week.

While Robbie Henshaw remains on international duty with Ireland, Kieran Marmion and Rodney Ah You returned to Connacht training yesterday and are both available for selection this week.

Glasgow Warriors, who are placed just outside the Play-Off zone but have two games in hand, must hope that the weather does not have an adverse effect on Sunday’s game, as their two previous PRO12 home matches were both rained off.

The Warriors have not won at the venue since a 20-16 victory over Exeter in the European Cup on 20th October, but have won their last four contests against Connacht.

Glasgow Warriors v Connacht
Sunday, 9th February, KO 14:00
Scotstound Stadium
Referee: Leighton Hodges (WRU, 35th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Neil Paterson, Graeme Marshall (both SRU)
Citing Commissioner: John Montgomery (SRU)

Connacht Eagles v Munster ‘A’
Friday 7th February, KO 14:30
The Sportsground

not looking good. if that was any other team you wonder how he isnt retired, he's our player and more importantly he's a human, with wife and kid. i'll be surprised if he plays again and nobody could blame him.
this time last year he took off a few weeks from super15 to recover.

wasnt there an article about clarke and concussion on some website last year, with clarke saying he knows better then most about concussion due to his bad luck with it and either his brother or brother in law? (if i find it, i'll link it)

Chiefs co-captain Craig Clarke has seen up close how dangerous and debilitating successive concussions can be and is taking a fifth week out of the firing line.

Clarke, who has not played since being concussed in the March 10 loss to the Stormers in Cape Town, is still experiencing mild headaches.

But having seen his brother-in-law Shane Cleaver suffer two concussions in a row in pre-season last year and due to chronic symptoms be ruled out of the entire 2012 season with the Chiefs and Taranaki, Clarke knows better than to take any risk with such a head injury and will not play against the Reds in Saturday's 4.30pm home game at Waikato Stadium.

"I still have a headache that comes and goes a little bit," Clarke said.

"It's not a bad headache but I'm a person who's never had headaches before so something's not quite right."

Clarke saw a specialist on Monday and was told he was not far away from being able to play.

"I've just got to play it by feel really. I don't want to get another knock when I'm not quite right."

The 2-metre lock said he was acutely aware Cleaver had a knock to the head soon after a repeated knock and what he went through as a result.

"The things he talked about - just how he felt was the biggest gauge. Like, he was the only one who knew he didn't feel quite right," he said.

Cleaver has been back to full training in Taranaki for some time now and last weekend played half a game for the Hurricanes development side.

Clarke said concussion was an injury vastly different to any other suffered in rugby and was frustrating because it was less definitive in terms of recovery times and outwardly less obvious.

"It's not like an injury that you can see - like someone who has got a bad knee or a bad elbow or something and their rehab plan is five weeks or whatever give or take a week.

"This is a bit different and it's a bit frustrating because of that and frustrating not to be playing, especially when the lads are tracking really well.

"I'm a footy player so I like to be playing."

Hope he fully recovers but his welfare got to be paramount

That is not good news. HOpe he recovers well. It will be devestating to us if he has to retire.

rossie wrote: Clarke out in definitely and career in some doubt after suffering his 10th concussion in 22mths.

www.thescore.ie/craig-clarke-concussion-...cht-1298736-Feb2014/

Does not sound good.

Clarke out in definitely and career in some doubt after suffering his 10th concussion in 22mths.

He was warming up with the Squad Sunday so I'd imagine he is the 24th man. If the back line changes he could bench but doubt we will have him back at all.

I assume Robbie is on standby for Wales match. If his services aren't required I'm sure he could make it to Glasgow to join our squad.

Glasgows last 2 Rabo home games were postponed due to waterlogged pitch. I hope they aren't having the rain we're having.

Just seen some possible good news and a bit of actual bad news in regards to player availability for Sunday's game from Ms Mackenzie on twitter.

Clarke, Wilkinson and Henry join White on the not available list (no info in Linley's tweet as to why but hopefully that will be confirmed in tomorrow's squad update).

The good news is that Poolman, Nikora and McSharry are on the possible list.

Very interested to see how Lam goes with team selection. Will the confirmed loses in the pack force his hand in terms of Parks and Duffy or will he revert back to Carty and Leader after the 2nd half against Sarries?

The Score.ie had a recent interview with Parks hinting he is looking for another year but with Miah coming back into contention it's hard to see Parks getting a lot of game time in between now and the end of the season if Carty's recent inclusion is anything to go on. thescore.thejournal.ie/dan-parks-connach...iew-1294429-Feb2014/