A 17-year-old amateur rugby player, Cléa Menier, has died after an on-field accident during an under-18 match in France. She played in the back row for Union du Bassin Marmandais and was hurt on Saturday in her club’s game against Agen Agglo Rugby.
She was given medical care on the pitch and then taken to Pellegrin Hospital in Bordeaux, where she later died from her injuries. Neither her club nor the French Rugby Federation has disclosed the nature of the injury.
In a statement on Thursday, Union du Bassin Marmandais said it had learned of her death with immense sadness and indescribable pain. The club paid tribute to the emergency services who attended to her, offered condolences to her family, friends, teammates and coaches, and said members would support one another through what it called a terrible ordeal.
The French Rugby Federation also expressed condolences and said her death had deeply affected the rugby community. It extended support to her family and loved ones, her teammates and coaches, and members of Union du Bassin Marmandais, and said every effort would be made to establish the circumstances of the accident. Further details of the incident and her injuries have not been made public.