Teen badly injured in rugby game

A Feilding boy suffered suspected spinal injuries in a rugby game watched by his mother and had to be flown to Burwood Hospital in Christchurch.

Yesterday afternoon, the teen was in a stable condition and is said to be awake and eating.

His mum stayed with him during the helicopter flight to Christchurch on Sunday, and his dad followed them there that evening, said Scott Guthrie, the father of another player from the team.

The boy had been playing in a Feilding High School third XV game against Napier Boys’ High School.

A statement from the New Zealand Rugby Foundation, Feilding High School, the Manawatu¯ Rugby Union and the player’s family said the incident happened during ‘‘a tackle that could have been in any game, on any day’’.

The player, who was not named, was in a stable condition.

‘‘He’s awake and eating so that is positive,’’ his mother said in the statement.

The community was rallying around to support the family and awaiting news of the boy’s condition, Guthrie said.

Parents of team members were spending time with the boys, and the school was also supporting them, he said.

‘‘I know the school’s got a great support network in for those kids. A lot of those kids saw one of their best mates terribly injured [on Sunday], and they were pretty traumatised.’’

Guthrie said he was at the match and the injury happened ‘‘during normal rugby play’’.

Nurses were on the sideline and were able to help straight away and paramedics arrived quickly, he said.

He was among a group of parents who met on Sunday night to talk about how they could support the family. Raffles and donations were being organised to help with travel expenses.

‘‘We’re in shock. It’s a hard time. The Feilding community is a small, close-knit community, and the amount of support going out to that family’s huge. The sporting community and school community are just doing what needs to be done.’’

Feilding High School principal Nathan Stewart said staff were waiting to hear news about how the boy was doing.

In the joint statement, he said: ‘‘We are supporting the team and also liaising with the team in Napier, who are very upset as well. It’s really a day-by-day situation and we are hoping for positive news of his progress.’’

NZ Rugby Foundation chief executive Lisa Kingi-bon said of 187 spinal cord injuries in New Zealand last year, two happened in rugby games.

In 2008, Feilding teen Robert Hickland died after he broke his neck in a tackle while playing for Feilding High School’s 1st XV.