NICHOLAS TOOTH, A 25-year-old second row with Quirindi Lions in New South Wales, Australia, died yesterday after suffering a head injury in a regional fixture on Saturday.

Tooth clashed heads with a Narrabri Blue Boars opponent in the Central North 1st grade match and was treated at the scene before being airlifted to hospital in Newcastle, the ABC report.

“It really was just a tragic accident, Nick went in to tackle an opponent and his head clashed with shoulder and he went down,” says Charles Murray, president of the Quirindi Lions club.

“There was no foul play, nothing untoward about it at all, sadly it was just a very tragic accident.”

“I’d seen him grow up from a child through junior rugby and grow into a young man, he was a lovely kid, he had a bit of a larrikin spirit in him – he was a really good bloke and very popular, and his family for generations have been great rugby supporters in this district and great community people.”

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