Ashwill Sauls (24) dies after 'legal' rugby tackle
Western Cape rugby fullback Ashwill Sauls (24) died from an apparent punctured lung allegedly sustained in a legal tackle in a game in Montagu on Saturday.
Lester Kiewit speaks to Dr Nic Kruger, Head of the Acute Spinal Cord Injury Unit at Groote Schuur Hospital.
Western Cape rugby fullback player Ashwill Sauls (24) died from an apparent punctured lung allegedly sustained in a 'regulation and legal' tackle in Montagu during a game on Saturday (21 September).
Sauls played for Robertson Rangers for the past five years and the rugby fraternity is mourning his loss and sharing tributes online.
SA Rugby posted a message of condolences to Sauls' family after the rugby player passed away in hospital.
Kruger notes that what happened to Sauls is 'an extremely rare' event.
"It's an extremely rare event... We see chest injuries on a routine basis in South African trauma... the mortality rate is about one in 10."
- Dr Nic Kruger - Groote Schuur Hospital
"This is probably the first time I've encountered a rugby chest injury causing death. It's a very unfortunate and truly rare event."
- Dr Nic Kruger - Groote Schuur Hospital
"The physicality has increased over the past years and they put a huge amount of effort into tackles," says Kruger. "It's inevitable that we see injuries but it's a minority to see chest injuries as most injuries are related to the head and neck."