A few years ago, Mike Brown would have attempted to battle through concussion symptoms to play against Ireland but it was a case of head over heart and instead of taking out his frustration in Dublin, it was his sofa that bore the brunt of his irritation.

Brown lasted just 12 minutes against Italy in round two of the Six Nations. He went for a high ball alongside Andrea Masi but when he realised he was going to get there second, he ducked into the tackle, caught his head on the Italian's shoulder and then darkness. He remembers being rolled onto the spinal board and only fully came around in the medical room.

His first thoughts were to calm any of his fiancée's fears but she was already there having been shepherded through the corridors to Twickenham to the tunnel. He has since seen the incident again and the photographs of him connecting with Masi and then the images of him "asleep on the floor", as he puts it. His thoughts were more of his poor tackling technique than the impact itself.

Mike Brown connects with Andrea Masi © Getty Images

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Awareness over concussion and the dangers of playing through a knock to the head have been propelled into the public consciousness like never before. Brown had two attempts at the mandatory return-to-play protocols but was forced to start them again on both occasions. There were hopes he would play against Ireland - 15 days after the Italy game - but a headache on the Wednesday put paid to those hopes.

Brown had to battle with the Faustian angel and devil on his shoulders and he admits he would have probably declared himself fit a few years ago. "If I wasn't so aware of the implications and the dangers, yeah I probably would have [ignored the symptoms]," Brown said. "The way I am - stubborn, desperate to play rugby, desperate to play for my country, I probably would have.

"Pulling out is one of the worst things I've ever had to go through in my whole life. As a sportsman everything you work towards is pulling on your country's jersey and representing everyone in the country. If it wasn't for the awareness courses we've been on through the RPA and the RFU, I probably wouldn't have done it and wouldn't have done myself justice, would have put myself in danger and it wouldn't have been good."

And Brown does not feel the incident will have any bearing on his psyche the next time he challenges for a high ball. "It hasn't in training so far [affected him] although obviously that is a bit different to being in a game," Brown said. "The way I play, I can't afford to do that because it would take so much away from my game. I think I'm 100 per cent committed every time I'm going for a ball. Hopefully I will just switch into automatic mode and won't think too much of it. We'll see when I get out there."

Sitting at Pennyhill Park on Wednesday, Brown was a ball of energy, clearly eager to get more than 12 minutes under his belt and let himself off the leash against Scotland. He watched the Ireland game alongside his fiancée. To put it mildly, Brown found it a frustrating experience.

"I was fuming. I wasn't happy at all. Unfortunately, my fiancée had to go through it with me, poor lady. It wasn't something I want to be doing too regularly, sat in my lounge, on the edge of my sofa, screaming at the television.

"I think I am more nervous watching it than I usually am playing. I had to have a quiet moment to myself at half time. It wasn't a good day. I had to take myself off for a few moments."

Brown's inclusion is one of two changes made by Stuart Lancaster ahead of Scotland. It was his "winner's mentality" which saw him edge ahead of Alex Goode, according to the England coach, but Brown is not one to revel in individualistic praise.

"I think Stuart just means I get grumpy if I don't get my own way to be honest! I think everyone in this squad has a winner's mentality. That's why he picks the players he does.

© Getty Images

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"I'm just desperate to win, desperate to pull on an England jersey and put in a performance that everyone is proud of. When I'm representing England I'm representing so many different people. So it's about doing myself justice, and doing the team justice."

When Brown lines up for the anthem, he will look to the stands and pick out his fiancée. And then the attention will turn to Scotland, his opposite number Stuart Hogg and trying to secure the win. There has been talk of English arrogance this week by Hogg, but for Brown it is just a simple cocktail of success and passion.

"I can only speak for myself but I love playing for my country. It's everything I've worked towards and it means so much it's hard to put into words. I try and bring that into every performance when I'm lucky enough to wear the jersey. For me that doesn't change. I'll be trying to put my all into the jersey and put in a performance that will make everyone proud."

If you are involved in rugby find out more about concussion by completing the RFU's new online education course www.englandrugby.com/headcase