(UDHAYAM, COLOMBO) – A teenage club rugby player has suffered critical injuries after a club rugby match in Wellington.
The 19-year-old is in an induced coma after having brain surgery at Wellington Hospital after the incident on Saturday (13).
The teenager’s family described the incident at Ngatitoa Domain in Porirua as a “tragic accident”.
In a statement, Wellington Rugby said the player with Wellington Football Club’s colts team remained in an induced coma.
“The player was removed from the field late in the match after teammates noticed he was displaying worrying symptoms during a stoppage in play,” the statement said.
“Shortly after leaving the field his condition deteriorated rapidly and ambulance officers already at the ground attended to the player.
“He was taken to Wellington Hospital where he underwent brain surgery on Saturday night. Since then he has remained in a critical condition.”
Wellington Rugby chief executive Steve Rogers said the organisation’s main focus is providing support to the player’s family, his club, and the wider rugby community affected by what happened.
The Wellington Football Club president and former rugby journalist Keith Quinn was at the game on Saturday but said he did not see the incident.
“I went to another field to watch a different game, but I was then aware something had happened once I saw an ambulance racing to the scene.
“Initially we thought a local player from Paremata-Plimmerton had been injured, and it wasn’t until much later we found out he was one of our boys.
“I don’t know the boy, but I went to the hospital [on Tuesday] together with Murray Mexted, probably Wellington Football Club’s greatest player … to meet the family and pay our respects.”
Dave Ives, chairman for Paremata Plimmerton RFC, said he had no comment to make at this time.
