WALLABIES SCRUM-HALF Nic White will serve a 12-day stand down period for possible concussion after being allowed to return to the pitch against Ireland last night in Dublin. 

White took a blow to the head in the second half of Ireland’s win at the Aviva Stadium and appeared to stumble twice before leaving the field.

However, White was deemed fit to return to the action after undertaking an off-field Head Injury Assessment [HIA1] carried out by the independent match day doctor.

World Rugby’s guidelines on head injury state that a player should be immediately and permanently replaced if they display any ‘Criteria 1′ symptoms of possible concussion, including “balance disturbance,” without an off-field assessment being carried out.

However, White underwent the off-field HIA and returned to the pitch to play on for the closing 26 minutes of the game.

In a statement this evening, the Wallabies have confirmed that White has retrospectively been ruled out for 12 days.

The Wallabies say that White’s “criteria two HIA (where diagnosis not immediately apparent) has been upgraded to a criteria one assessment (balance disturbance) post-match.”

The statement adds that White “was not exhibiting any symptoms of concussion post-match or the following day.”

He will now have a 12-day stand down and will miss out on next weekend’s Test against Wales in Cardiff.

Speaking last night following the defeat to Ireland, White stated that he had felt fine.

“I was pulled off by the physio to do a HIA. I felt fine,” said White.

“I passed my HIA, I went back on. I remember everything, clear as day, I feel fine. I feel good. I passed my HIA and I was good to go. Very confident, I did the HIA and I passed it.

“I’m 78kg running up against these blokes, mate I feel fine now. You guys can attest to that. The process, I did the HIA and passed it. I’m good.

“I was just a little ginger, I’m fine mate.”

Speaking last night, Wallabies head coach Dave Rennie said he hadn’t seen the incident.

“He was asked to come off and they assessed him,” said Rennie. “He was assessed and he passed. I didn’t actually see the incident.”

Australian hooker David Porecki will also serve the mandatory 12-day stand down period after his concussion against Ireland, which forced him off in the opening half.

In further injury woe for the Wallabies, tighthead prop Taniela Tupou suffered a suspected ruptured Achilles tendon, number eight Rob Valetini picked up an ankle problem, centre Hunter Paisami will need scans on his knee issue, and fullback Andrew Kellaway has sustained a suspected fracture to the fifth metatarsal in one of his feet. 

All of those players will join White and Porecki in flying back to Australia instead of travelling on to Wales.

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