It comes after London's High Court ruled the players must wait until next year for their application for a group litigation order (GLO) to be decided.

England World Cup winners Steve Thompson and Mark Regan are also among those taking legal action against governing bodies World Rugby, England's Rugby Football Union (RFU) and the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU).

Thompson revealed in December 2020 that he had been diagnosed with early onset dementia.

Former Wales forward Alix Popham, who has revealed how his life has been "turned upside down" due to brain damage sustained while playing rugby, is also on the list released this evening.

Ryan Jones, another former Wales captain, former Wales and Lions forward Colin Charvis and Sean Lamont, who won over 100 caps for Scotland, also form part of the case.

Rylands Garth, the law firm representing the 226 former players, have applied for a GLO - which would mean the individual lawsuits can be managed together - in the case.

The claimants allege the three governing bodies failed to put in place reasonable measures to protect the health and safety of players.

Their lawyer Susan Rodway said in court filings the defendants "ought to have known of the likelihood of long-term neurological complications due to cumulative concussive or sub-concussive blows to the head".

This alleged failure is said to have caused disorders such as motor neurone disease, early onset dementia, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, epilepsy and Parkinson's disease.

She added that some of the individual cases, where players are suing for loss of earnings and the cost of future care, could be valued "well into the tens of millions" of pounds.

World Rugby, the RFU and WRU did not address the merits of the lawsuits at Friday's hearing, but are defending the claims.

They said in a joint statement earlier this week that they were unable to comment on the case or contact players, as they had yet to receive full details of the claims.

"We would want players involved to know that we listen, we care and continue to champion player welfare as the sport's number one priority," they said.

"Players and parents can have confidence that rugby is as safe as a contact sport can be. Rugby will always be led by the latest science when taking any action on player welfare."

The rugby union case is one of three similar cases brought by Rylands Garth, which also represents former rugby league and soccer players.

The full list of players taking legal action

Adam Hughes
Adam Black
Adam Eustace
Adam Palfrey
Alan Awcock
Alexander Cheesman
Alexander Lundberg
Alfie To'oala Vaeluaga
Alix Popham
Andrew Clarke
Andrew Coombs
Andrew Lamerton
Andrew Millward
Andrew Springgay
Ben Pegna
Callum Wilson
Carl Hamans
Carl Hayman
Carwyn Jones
Charlie Beech
Christian Short
Christopher Arnold
Christopher Cracknell
Christopher Jones
Christopher Planchant
Christopher Whitehead
Christopher Simpson-Daniel
Craig Hawkins
Dafydd James
Dale Rasmussen
Daniel Roberts
Daniel Scarborough
David Corkery
David Jackson
David Llewelyn
David Maddocks
David Merlin
Derwyn Jones
Dominic Ryan
Duncan Bell
Emyr Lewis
Finlay Barnham
Gareth Cull
Gareth Owen
Gareth Price
Gareth Williams
Gavin Evans
Gavin Thomas
Geraint Davies
Hal Luscombe
Harry Ellis
Hywel Jenkins
Ian Gough
Ian Jones
Inoke Afeaki
Jack Cobden
James Collins
James Griffiths
James Voss
Jamie Cudmore
Jamie Ringer
Jamie Robinson
Jason Hobson
John Carter
John Paul O'Reilly
Jonathan Ross Coombs
Joseph Buckle
Joseph Cobden
Joseph Trayfoot
Justin Blanchet
Justin Wring
Kieran Low
Leigh Davies
Lenny Woodard
Leo Halavatau
Lou Reed
Luke Fielden
Luke Wishnowsky
Lyndon Bateman
Mark Perego
Mark Regan MBE
Mark Robinson
Mathew Vaughan
Matthew Dwyer
Matthew Pewtner
Michael Hook
Michael Lipman
Michael Myerscough
Michael Powell
Michael Wilson
Mouritz Botha
Neil Clark
Neil Spence
Neil Walker
Nick Williams
Nigel Bezani
Oliver Hayes
Oliver Hodge
Oliver Phillips
Paul Boulard
Paul Clapham
Paul Jones
Paul Pook
Paul Sampson
Paul Smithson
Paul Volley
Peter Short
Philip Nilsen
Philip Vickery MBE
Regan King
Rhys Gill
Rhys James
Rhys Thomas
Richard Thorpe
Robert Green
Robert Hoadley
Robert Kydd
Robson Blake
Roger Wilson
Rory Pitman
Rory Watts-Jones
Russell Kesley
Ryan Jones MBE
Samuel Blanchet
Saul Nelson
Sean Lamont
Simon Gardiner
Simon Mason
Steve Thompson MBE
Stephen Winn
Tevita Taumoepeau
Theo Brophy-Clews
Thomas Pierce
Thomas Rock
Timothy Cowley
Vaughan Going
Aakesh Rai
Adam French
Alexander Abbey
Alexander Barnes
Alun Griffiths
Andrew Herbert
Anne Marie Livesey as Litigation Friend for Martin Livesey
Ben Pickett
Ben Rider
Caer Davies
Ceri Jones
Colin Wood
Craig Harvey
Craig Thomas
Daniel Napier
David Riley
Deian Thomas
Dianne Williams as personal representative for Ivor Wyn Williams
Gerwyn Davies
Glen Webbe
Hugo Dickson
Ieuan Cranswick
Jack Yates
Martin Frost as Litigation Friend for James Batterham
Jonathan Purnell
Jon Godson as Litigation Friend for Alan Godson
Joseph Cook
Joshua Hosford
Kristian Trezise
Kyle Green
Lewis Edwards
Mark Catterall
Matthew Clement
Meghan Mutrie
Michael Davies
Michael Lloyd Jones as personal representative of Peter Jones (deceased)
Michael Powell
Michael Watkins
Claire Riou as Litigation Friend for Nicolas Riou
Non Evans
Oliver Cavanagh
Paul Ringer
Paul Rudd
Paul Thompson
Rhys Watkins
Richard Howells
Robert Cunningham
Robert Johnston
Ryan Griffiths
Sean Gilbertson
Shaun Doughton
Shaun Gustard
Stephen Williams
Stephen Butcher
Steven Sugar
Teresa O'Reilly
Timothy Graves
Ruth Walters as Litigation Friend for Trefor Evans
Ben Gerry
Brendan Lyons
Brett Sheehan
Christopher Stevens
Colin Charvis
Darren Morris
David Bishop
Gavin Henson
Ian Greenslade
Jack Stanley
John Leota
Jordan Davies
Joseph Grabham
Joshua Rhys James
Leighton Jones
Lewis Rawlins
Mark Ridehalgh
Matthew Jones
Michael Peters
Morgan Stoddart
Nathan Strong
Oliver Catterjee
Paul Knight
Paul Whittaker
Richard Armswood
Ross Johnston
Scott Crosby
Scott Hicks
Simon Bunting
Wayne Booth
William Evans
William Hurrell