Teen’s second serious rugby injury in three years
A rugby-mad teen vows to continue playing the game he loves despite suffering his second neck injury within three years.
Tararua College first XV captain Josh Manley, 16, was rushed to hospital by helicopter on Saturday after he was tackled by an opposition player who dropped his shoulder, hitting Josh in the throat and neck.
He’s now recovering at home, but says he’ll be back on the field.
‘‘I love the sport and nothing is going to change my mind [about] playing the game I love.’’
Hiss mum Kylee was watching the match against Taihape Area School from the grandstand and immediately knew her son was in trouble.
He was running up the sideline to catch a ball kicked down the field.
‘‘This other boy came running in on his side and dropped his shoulder and shoulder-barged him in the throat and neck.’’
Manley said the force behind the hit was huge. ‘‘I saw the whole force and his whole neck go back. It was like it was going to snap right off. It was a huge impact.’’
As soon as Josh was hit he fell to the ground, but Manley said he wasn’t concussed and got back up to try to walk off the field. ‘‘Then he just fell down to the ground and lay on his back and started crying.’’
Josh had injured his neck playing rugby before, in 2014, and Manley grew concerned when he said he felt the same again.
‘‘He lost all the feeling down his whole arm down into his fingers at the time.’’
An ambulance was called. Paramedics then decided to call in the Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter to fly Josh to the city’s hospital. Josh ended up with bruised lungs, a fractured rib and a sprained neck, and was sent home later that day to rest.
He was recovering and Manley said she tried to take him out and about on Sunday, so he could keep moving.
But, even a trip to the supermarket was tough for him. ‘‘He can talk and stuff, but he gets a bit short of breath.’’
Josh started playing rugby when he was 7, trialling last year for the Wairarapa Bush under-16 team. He also played league, featuring in the Maori under-16 nationals.