RUGBY player Ashwill Sauls has died aged 24 after a freak tackle during a game left him with devastating lung injuries.
Full-back Sauls, who played for Robertson Rangers near Cape Town, fell heavily during a match against rivals Montagu on Saturday.
Sauls was subsequently rushed to hospital with multiple broken ribs but was declared dead on arrival with a severely punctured lung.
Boland Rugby Union president Bennie van Rooi told local media: “It’s a sad day for the deceased’s family, as well as for the region’s wider rugby community.”
While South African Rugby president Mark Alexander added: “It is with profound sadness that we learned of the tragic passing of Ashwill Sauls, a dedicated and talented rugby player from the Robertson Rangers.”