Curro Matric Pupil Alec Barends Loses Rugby Career After Brutal Tackle Nearly Costs Him His Leg

• Alec Barends, 18, suffered a severe leg injury during a school rugby match against Ceres Secondary on 7 March
• The Curro High School matriculant was rushed into emergency surgery at Christiaan Barnard Hospital after a ruptured artery left him bleeding internally
• Barends has since undergone six surgeries and faces a future without contact sport

An 18-year-old matric pupil from Langebaan will never play rugby or any other contact sport again after sustaining a life-threatening leg injury during a schools match earlier this year.

Alec Barends, a pupil at Curro High School, was tackled by two Ceres Secondary players during the first half of a match on 7 March, despite not having the ball at the time. He did not get up after the collision and remained on the field in severe pain until medical personnel reached him.

His mother, Danielle, told Son newspaper that the situation quickly became critical.

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"His injury was severe, and he had to be carried off the field on a stretcher," she said.

Emergency surgery in Cape Town

Paramedics transported Barends to Langebaan Hospital, from where he was transferred to Life Hospital. X-rays showed that the artery in his left leg had ruptured. He was then rushed to Christiaan Barnard Hospital in Cape Town for emergency surgery.

Danielle described the moment doctors informed the family of the severity of his condition.

"A doctor came to tell us that our child's life was in great danger, but they would do their best to keep him alive," she said. At that point, Barends himself was unaware that the artery in his leg had been severed and that he was bleeding internally.

The family also faced the prospect of amputation before receiving better news.

"We later learned from the doctor that they were able to save the leg and that he was fighting hard and out of danger," Danielle said.

Barends has since undergone six surgeries. Medical assessments have confirmed that he will not be able to return to rugby or participate in any contact sport for the rest of his life.

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Barends stays positive despite career-ending prognosis

Speaking about the prognosis, Barends acknowledged the emotional weight of the news.

"The fact that I will never be able to play rugby again is quite affecting me, but I am staying positive. I am looking forward to my matriculation ball and my future," he said.

His mother noted that the injury had left him in a deeply negative state for a period, but said family support had helped him approach his recovery one day at a time.

Young rugby star from Western Cape dies

Briefly News previously reported that a young Tulbagh-based rugby player and cellar assistant has died after a months-long battle with injuries sustained in a roadside crash

The incident, which reportedly happened while he was waiting for help after his vehicle broke down, has sparked shock and grief across his rugby club and workplace

Source: Briefly News