A rugby union player died on Saturday night from injuries sustained during a tackle in a regional competition match in northern New South Wales state.
Kempsey Rugby Club centre Kullen Beathe (23) died in hospital, hours after he was injured in a local grand final.
Beathe reportedly told teammates that he thought he’d broken his collar bone in the tackle 10 minutes before fulltime. Police said his condition deteriorated rapidly and he had trouble breathing before losing consciousness.
Paramedics were unable to revive Beathe, the Australian Associated Press reported.
A representative for the regional rugby union said the tackle was legitimate and Beathe didn’t appear to have sustained spinal or head injuries.
An autopsy will be conducted on Wednesday. – Sapa-AP