Student dies after game of tag rugby

A 23-year-old man died following a tag rugby game in Dublin, it emerged today.

Hugh Williams, a student from Co Kilkenny collapsed on the sideline after playing a tag rugby game with his team, Tag Barbarians in St Mary’s College in Templeogue, Dublin, yesterday evening.

He was attended to by team-mates and by medical personnel until an ambulance arrived five minutes later.

He was taken to Tallaght General Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The Irish Tag Rugby Association said it wanted to extend its deepest sympathy to his parents, family and friends.

“Hugh was a regular and popular competitor in the Tag Rugby scene, which is stunned by his sudden death,” it said in statement.

Hugh Williams had recently graduated from a Scottish university and had played regularly in the Men’s Super League Tag.

Thousands of players across the country take part in the non-contact sport on a weekly basis.

A minute’s silence will be observed at all matches this week. A planned fancy dress competition for teams this week has been put on hold.

A post-mortem will be carried out to determine the cause of death.