Rescue flight for injured rugby teens

A pair of college rugby players were flown to Palmerston North Hospital after a clash on Saturday left one with serious head injuries and the other with lesser injuries.

Two young rugby players injured during a match played at Tararua College, Pahiatua, on Saturday were both flown to Palmerston North Hospital by rescue helicopter.

The two, aged around 15-16, were thought to have collided heavily during the game with one left with serious head injuries and the other with lesser injuries.

Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter was called on after an alert from the St John Ambulance comms centre, at 2pm.

Pilot Lance Burns said the boy who was not badly injured was conscious, and was able to walk to the helicopter.

Previous to being flown to hospital both were attended to "for quite some time" by St John paramedics.

It was not known when this edition went to press whether either, or both, of the young rugby players were members of a Tararua College team and an update on the injured teenagers' condition was not available late yesterday.