There was a sickening head injury in Super Rugby this morning
All Blacks star Wallace Sititi was taken to the hospital after suffering a sickening head injury during the Chiefs’ 46-24 win over the Queensland Reds in their Super Rugby Pacific qualifying final.
The 23-year-old forward required lengthy medical attention following the heavy collision with the shoulder of Reds forward Lukhan Salakaia-Loto before bouncing into the head of his teammate Sione Ahio.
Sititi rolled himself into the recovery position before visibly shaking on the ground.
The referee stopped the match immediately to allow medical staff to treat Sititi who eventually got back to his feet despite looking extremely confused.
He was immediately taken to hospital as a result of his injury.
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As a result of the incident Salakaia-Loto received a yellow card but the TMO did not upgrade it to a red, deciding there was mitigation because Sititi dropped low into the tackle.
Salakaia-Loto was booed upon returning to the field of play but managed to score his team’s first try.
But it was ultimately in vein as the Chiefs won comfortably to progress to the semi-final stage where they will host the Crusaders in Hamilton.
“Never nice seeing your teammate like that,” Chiefs captain Luke Jacobson told Sky Sports.
“We know he’s in the best of hands, but thoughts and prayers to him and his family.”
Chiefs coach Jono Gibbes also told Sky Sports they were concerned about Sititi’s injury.
“I‘m incredibly proud of the grit,” Gibbes told Sky Sports. “It was a real battle, we stayed composed and I’m really proud of them.
“But it’s tinged a little bit with the incident with Wallace and, there’s a big part of us that are actually thinking about him right now whilst trying to savour this moment.
“Never nice to see one of your lads go down and suffer that way.”
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