A 17-year-old amateur rugby player has died in France after a serious head injury during a match. Cléa Ménier, a back-row at Union du Bassin Marmandais, was hurt in a game against Agen Agglo Rugby in Marmande on Saturday, 17 October.
According to La Dépêche, she went into cardiac arrest after a blow to the head. She was taken to Pellegrin Hospital in Bordeaux, where she died from her injuries.
The French Rugby Federation said the loss had deeply affected the rugby community. It expressed support for Ménier's family and loved ones and offered condolences to her teammates, coaches and the members of Union du Bassin Marmandais. The federation said everything would be done to understand the circumstances of the accident.
The club said it learned of her death with immense sadness. It thanked the firefighters, the emergency medical service SMUR, and the emergency department and surgical intensive care teams at Pellegrin Hospital who worked at her side.
The club named her parents, Cécile and Johann, her brother, Clément, and her sister, Coline, an active player in the club's cadet section. It said the federation had been working with the club and the family since Sunday, and that a psychological support unit had been set up with the federation for anyone who needs help.