England skipper Courtney Lawes has backed calls for mandatory brain scans

Courtney Lawes has backed calls for mandatory brain scans after spending three months on the sidelines with nerve damage.

The England skipper was out with a neck injury and will make his first start since September in today’s clash between Northampton and Munster.

Lawes was given the all-clear after brain scans but has supported Dylan Hartley’s recent request in the Mail on Sunday for the procedure to become mandatory for every player.

England skipper Courtney Lawes (above) has supported calls for mandatory brain scans

“You get baselines for almost everything now, so why not a brain scan? It makes perfect sense,” Lawes said.

“It comes at a cost, but if we’re genuinely interested in the players’ welfare and making sure that once we leave the sport we’ll never be as good as we were when we started, but we’re there or something like that is certainly good for the game.

The 33-year-old has been out for almost three months with nerve damage in his neck

As a result, Lawes (center) missed the entire fall international series

“When I started, nobody worried about concussions. I just had the brain scan this year. It’s a contact sport, you’ll get a lot of hits to the head, although for nothing else, for research purposes it’s not a bad idea.

Lawes, 33, is hoping to get Northampton’s Champions Cup campaign back on track today with one eye on rediscovering his form ahead of the Six Nations.

He was England captain during Eddie Jones’ summer tour but now faces an uncertain future with a change of manager – and a decision on his club’s future beyond the end of the season.

Lawes returned to the club from the bench for Northampton last week

“My contract doesn’t necessarily expire this year, there are options,” he said. “At the end of the day I have to do what is best for me and my family.

“I would love to stay at Saints but at the same time you need to find what is best for you and your family as Dan Biggar did.

“That’s the most important thing, especially when you get a little older. I think I’ll probably get another contract out of me and then quit.’