SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 20: Sam Burgess of the Rabbitohs is stretchered off the field after receiving an injury during the round three NRL match between the St George Dragons and the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Sydney Cricket Ground on March 20, 2016 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

After being publically mooted for almost a year, British law firm, Rylands Legal, have announced that they will be commencing rugby league's first-ever concussion class action lawsuit.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald's Adrian Proszenko, the firm is acting on behalf of players that obtained injuries whilst playing in Europe who claim that the Rugby Football League (RFL) failed in their duty of care.

While the entirety of the more than 50 names that have committed their services to the cause are of British descent, similar action involving Australian players afflicted by brain trauma has also been raised this year.

RELATED: NRL facing concussion class action lawsuit

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 28: Jordan McLean of the Storm leaves the field for a concussion test during the round four NRL match between the Cronulla Sharks and the Melbourne Storm at Southern Cross Group Stadium on March 28, 2016 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)

Proszenko stated that Rylands is also representing 175 rugby union players who suffered similar concussion-related issues following the ends of their careers and that the players within this latest case were all aged below 60.

Speaking publically, Richard Boardman of Rylands claimed that while each member of their lawsuit was seeking financial compensation, there was also a prevailing sentiment that they were keen to help the game become safer for future generations.

“The vast majority of the former players we represent love the game and don’t want to see it harmed in any way,” he said.

“They just want to make it safer so current and future generations don’t end up like them. Younger players such as Stevie Ward, Rob Burrow, and Sam Burgess have spoken publicly about their own brain damage, so these issues aren’t restricted to older generations.

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 27: Sam Burgess of the Rabbitohs holds his shoulder during the NRL Preliminary Final match between the Canberra Raiders and the South Sydney Rabbitohs at GIO Stadium on September 27, 2019 in Canberra, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

“This is why we’re asking the RFL to make a number of immediate, relatively low-cost changes to save the sport, such as limiting contact in training and extending the return to play [following a concussion].”

Having been diagnosed with early-onset dementia and a high likelihood of operating with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), former English international, Bobbie Goulding has echoed the view that the governing body had failed to protect players' welfare.

“For something like this to come out of the blue and hit me like a bus is hard to take,” the 49-year-old said.

“I didn’t think about dementia at all, I just thought it was the way life was. [When I played] I was 13 stone, 5ft 6in [83kgs, 168cm], playing against blokes who were 6ft 2in and 19 stone [188cm, 121kg], and didn’t even bother about it. But it takes its toll in the end, especially if they’re angry.

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“I played within days of serious knockouts on at least three occasions. I remember playing on a Sunday for Leigh at Huddersfield towards the end of my career, [in 2002]. I was in Huddersfield Royal Infirmary on the Sunday night after being seriously knocked out, and played the following Saturday against Batley.

“I didn’t have one doctor check on me during that week. ‘Bob, are you ready to play?’ he said. ‘Yeah I’ll play.’ If you watched the video, you’d be shocked.”

While a date for the commencement of the hearing is yet to be determined, it is still unknown whether a similar lawsuit will eventually be filed on Australian shores.

Still, Proszenko held the view that if this groundbreaking legal action in the Northern Hemisphere proves successful, attempts to right wrongs in courts closer to home could well come to fruition.