14 Mar 2024

Billy Guyton first NZ rugby player with chronic brain injury

From Checkpoint, 5:24 pm on 14 March 2024

Former Blues and Maori halfback Billy Guyton who died last year at 33, had a brain injury likely to be connected with repeated head knocks.

The diagnosis of stage 2 chronic traumatic encepahlopathy or CTE, was relayed to his family following extensive testing at Auckland's Neurological Foundation Human Brain Bank.

It makes Guyton the first New Zealand based professional rugby player to be diagnosed with the condition.

Dylan Cleaver, a freelance journalist who has reported extensively on head knocks, speaks to Lisa Owen.