World Rugby disappointed in Northampton's reaction to apparent George North concussion

World Rugby has revealed its disappointment at the way Northampton dealt with George North's head injury against Leicester in early December.

The sport's governing body launched a secondary investigation after North was allowed to return to the field following a Head Injury Assessment (HIA) during the Aviva Premiership game on December 3.

Saints will face no punishment but were issued with a stern warning over the way protocols were followed.

Northampton had been told by the Concussion Management Review Group (CMRG) they would not face sanctions for allowing North, who has a history of concussion problems, to return to the game after a heavy hit from Leicester's Adam Thompstone.

The Saints said they had been unaware of television replays which showed North lying prone after apparently being knocked unconscious, the club later acknowledging the Wales winger should not have been allowed to return.

The CMRG enquiry found North's welfare was always at the centre of Northampton's actions but World Rugby decided on a separate investigation, with their results published on Monday.

World Rugby's statement read: "Despite the failing by the club to correctly apply World Rugby's head-injury management protocols, World Rugby has recognised that the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and Premiership Rugby Limited (PRL) acted swiftly and appropriately to implement measures with Northampton Saints and other clubs to reduce the probability of future non-compliance.

"While it is impossible to completely remove the risk of error, World Rugby remains disappointed that there was a failure in this case to identify and manage the injury appropriately, in particular considering North's medical history."

World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont said: "While we acknowledge that errors in the correct application of the process may happen from time to time, we must continue to strive to make our game as safe as possible for players at all levels of the game.

"The head injury management process, including the HIA, is successfully protecting players and what this case shows is that all stakeholders must redouble their efforts to ensure they are implemented fully and correctly.

"I'd like to thank our colleagues at the RFU for their full cooperation in this matter and for conducting a thorough review. World Rugby will continue to work closely with all unions to ensure an environment of compliance in this important area."