Steve Thompson

Unforgettable: Rugby, dementia and the fight of my life Steve Thompson

My story of rugby, dementia and the fight of my life. In 2003, England won the rugby world cup. Steve Thompson was there, in England's front row, at the heart of the match, and at the heart of the scrum - one of sports most destructive, repetitive impacts. But the triumphs came at a cost. When rugby union turned professional, Steve was plunged into a game where raw power meant everything. Today, he remembers nothing about playing in that final. Steve has been diagnosed with early onset dementia, and probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy. He is in his early forties. There are days when he doesn't remember the names of his wife and four kids.