Girl dies after Rugby players run into crowd

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33515, 22 April 1974, Page 1

Girl dies after Rugby players run into crowd

• .Vru Zealand Press .Assortair'h» WELLINGTON, \prii 21. A three-year-old Lower I lull girl died in hospital today after a Rugby maul crossed the touch-line into unprotected spectators at kilbirnie Recreation Ground on Saturday.

Rebecca Jane Webley, of Amberly Grove, died in Wellington Hospital's intensive care unit after she was crushed beneath a mass of forwards on Saturday afternoon. A five-year-old Miramar boy was also involved in the incident, but he escaped with only a bleeding nose. The players continued with the game—unaware that anyone was badly hurt—while St John Ambulance men attended to the two injured children. The girl was taken to hos- , pital by ambulance where> she lay in a critical condi-. lion with head injuries until she died this afternoon. She was with her parents; at a senior match between Wellington College Old Boys and University. It was a “Supporters' Day" match. The children were hurt, when several players crashed across the touch-line. There were no barriers toj I keep the crowd off the touch-1 1 line, and this drew heated lcomment from members of, i both teams. The vice-captain of the i ;University team. R. Barlow., [said that one of his forwards, lhad crashed around the side-; |line side of a maul and was; ‘taken into touch by three lopposing forwards.

| "We didn’t know an? one was hurt that badly. We just went on playing." he said "It is terrible.” CRITICISM Barlow criticised ctow' control at non-payin; grounds. “The crowd was right o the side-line for the emii game, which is very dang< ous,” he said. “There shoui have been a rope or sonu thing, but there wasn't. “1 can think ot quite a let grounds in Wellington whet there is no protection lot th spectators." he said. "We need to police tin grounds somehow, 1 he Rugbv Union must have some sor. ;of policy. “It is a pity the crowd was so close." said D Waller th< ■ Wellington College Old Bov.s captain. "We must keep the crowd ■ back at a lot of grounds Everyone is prettv upset about this.” The chairman of the Well [ington Rugby Union (Mr A |G. W. Amies’) said that crowd [control at suburban grounds [would probably be raised [with parks and reserves officials. ROPES "But we have asked the ['council before about ropes," [;he said. “And unfortunately ; I they have rot proved succes ■ lul. People have continued to encroach on to the side-line