'Heartbreak' of ex-Rotherham Titans player struggling with dementia

A former professional rugby player who was diagnosed with dementia at the age of 44 said his daughter told him she "wants her old dad back".

Neil Spence, who played 150 times for rugby union side Rotherham Titans, is among 300 former players suing the game's governing bodies over head injuries sustained during their careers.Spence, from Hull, said the impact on his family had been profound.

He confirmed he left his family home just over a year ago because he "didn't like the sort of person I was becoming".

"My daughter's really struggling. My son's really struggling with it," he said.

"I received a text message on Monday [from my daughter] saying that she wants her old dad back - a fun-loving man who played football with her.

"She misses the man you were, as we all do. For me to read that is obviously heartbreaking."

Spence, who played for Rotherham over two stints between 1996 and 2004, was diagnosed with dementia in 2020.

He is among a group of former players taking legal action against World Rugby, Rugby Football Union (RFU) and Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), claiming they have failed in their duty of care.

• 'I'd have done something different': Neil Spence speaks to ITV News

They include three World Cup winners, 14 England internationals, 47 Welsh players, 6 from Scotland and 4 from Ireland. Thirteen of the players also represented the British and Irish Lions.

They claim consistent blows to the head have caused conditions including dementia and depression. Spence said: "If I knew I was going to end up the way I am today, I'd have done something different."I certainly wouldn't have played rugby. I constantly, virtually on a daily basis, have headaches from the effects of the bangs that I've received over 15 years of professional rugby."

He added: "I don't want it [rugby] to be taken away from boys and girls, men and women, but at the end of the day it needs to be safe and people need to be aware of the potential dangers of the game."

The game's governing bodies have issued a joint response to the legal action.

They said: "We would want players involved to know that we listen, we care and continue to champion player welfare as the sport's number one priority.'Players and parents can have confidence that rugby is as safe as a contact sport can be."

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