Another young father paralysed by a rugby union tackle gone wrong

Just two weeks after at tackle left Nathan Stapleton a quadriplegic, another young father has suffered a similar injury in a country rugby game — and is now facing a life as a paraplegic.

Andrew Regan was playing for the Orange Emus when he sustained a spinal injury in a tackle. Picture: Supplied

Another young father has been left paralysed after a rugby union tackle went wrong.

Andrew Regan was playing for his local team the Orange Emus when he suffered a severe spinal injury on April 23 and is now an incomplete quadriplegic.

It was horrifyingly similar to the tragic accident that left former Cronulla Sharks player Nathan Stapleton a quadriplegic, just two weeks earlier.

Mr Regan sustained damage to his C4 and C5 vertebrae leaving him paralysed from the chest down and is in Royal North Shore Hospital.

“I am now classified as an incomplete quadriplegic which sounds bad but there’s scope for recovery because the incomplete part means some scrambled messages are getting through so I hope for a good rehabilitation,” Mr Regan wrote on his Instagram, with the help of a letter board.

Andrew Regan is hospital after his horrific rugby union injury.

Jessie Davies at her husband’s side at Royal North Shore Hospital.

Speaking from Mr Regan’s bedside, his wife Jessie Davies said they had just settled on their new home in Orange the day before the accident.

“We had just bought a cottage we were planning to renovate ourselves, we were moving on Saturday and Andrew took a quick break to go play rugby,” she said.

“His spinal cord has been severely injured but he is getting some messages and we are thankful for the incomplete status. It means there is hope to rehabilitate his arms, we are seeing promising signs he will have gross motor skills in his arms.

“Andrew has played it for years and years and he has blown me away with his attitude and his positivity and his hope for his recovery.

“I am incredibly lucky to be married to such a wonderful person, he has blown me away that after such a significant injury he can open his eyes and be so positive.”

Mr Regan, a father of an 11-month old son, has defended the code despite his devastating injury.

“I just want to say rugby is a great code with great people but things like this happen. It also could’ve happened driving through a roundabout. Don’t let my accident affect you in anyway,” he said.

Jessie Davies and husband Andrew Regan with baby Gus. They had just bought a cottage to renovate.

Orange Emus coach Al Hattersley said the team was devastated.

“It is one of those unfortunate things, it’s a risk you go into with your eyes wide open but you don’t expect it to happen in your team,” he said.

Orthopaedic surgeon Dr John Cunningham said any contact sport carried the risk of spinal injuries.

“I deal with a lot of spinal trauma. It is a devastating injury where there is not much in the way of a cure and the fact it happens to young people playing sport means their lives are changed forever … my heart goes out to them,” Dr Cunningham said.

Andrew Regan has been left an incomplete quadriplegic and hopes to regain use of his arms.

“Not contact sport is every 100 per cent safe. It can never be completely prevented, the only way to prevent it is to not play and I’d not recommend that at all.”

Rugby Australia said there had not been a spinal injury of this seriousness since 2018.

Rugby Australia CEO Andy Marinos said: “We are constantly making advancements and improvements in player safety”.

“Our National Safety Committee is constantly researching and collecting data on injuries such as concussions and spinal injuries, which drives bodies of work to continuously strive to make the game safer,” Mr Marinos said.

Family and friends are crowd-funding to help Mr Regan’s young family.

“Financially this has come as a huge shock, it has turned our world and all of our plans upside down and inside out,” Ms Davies said.

To help: gofundme.com/f/rallyforreegs

Originally published as Another young father paralysed by a rugby union tackle gone wrong