Rugby star fighting for life

A Northland community is reeling as one of its rising stars fights for his life after being injured in a rugby game. His family is by his hospital bedside “waiting hour by hour” hoping his critical condition improves.

Seriously injured Darryl Sabin is the son of prominent Northland businessman Mike Sabin, who has urged those who know the talented sportsman “to keep Darryl in your thoughts”.

Darryl Sabin was playing in a home game for his side in Te Hapua on Saturday when he was tackled by an opposition player from Waipapakauri.

The 19-year-old was helped from the field, but his condition quickly deteriorated and he was flown from the rugby grounds, 30km southeast of Cape Reinga, to Whangarei Hospital by the Northland Electricity Rescue helicopter.

Yesterday, he was reported to be in critical condition in the intensive care unit.

Darryl’s father was a detective who investigated clandestine drug labs for 12 years in Northland before he left the police in 2006 to set up MethCon Group. Speaking from the hospital, Mr Sabin said friends could support the family by keeping Darryl in their thoughts.

He said his son had previous problems with head injuries, but he had not played rugby for a few seasons. Darryl has played in representative teams as he moved through the grades in Northland.

“We were trying to look for an alternative sport but the game means so much to him,” Mr Sabin said. “This is a nightmare … it’s an hour by hour waiting game in terms of controlling the level of damage. In the words of the specialists he’s had ‘a devastating injury’. We just ask that anyone who knows Darryl to keep him in your thoughts.”

It is Te Hapua’s first season back in the Mangonui Premier division since the club went into recess after the 2001 season. Te Hapua coach John Duncan said players and the tight-knit community were reeling and shocked by the injury to Darryl, a shepherd working on a station in the Far North.

He said Darryl, who was playing as flanker, was tackled after a tap and go from a penalty.

He made about 8m before he was tackled around the chest. It was unclear if he struck his head on the player or ground as he fell.

Darryl was knocked unconscious, but eventually sat up and said he was well enough to walk off the field with help.

“Things seemed to go down hill pretty quickly,” Mr Duncan said. “As a coach, every now and then you see a special player come along … he’s got guts and attitude. For someone so young he shows great qualities as a leader.” The team is scheduled to train tomorrow night with a sombre mood expected.

“The team is a pretty big part of the community and this is a real blow,” Mr Duncan said.

Northland Rugby Union operations manager Greg Shipton said the union would get a serious injury report from the referee which would be considered to see if negligence had been a part of the injury.

The New Zealand Rugby Union had been notified as had the New Zealand Rugby Foundation.

Mr Shipton was liaising with the family to see if there was anything the union could do to help.

“All we can really do is keep Darryl in our prayers,” Mr Shipton said.