I'm publishing this video with the kind permission of the er...victim, who as we all know lived to play another day and has gone on to live a happy and fulfilling life. Well, a happy one at least. It is a salutary lesson that rugby is still very much a contact sport, and bad things do happen to good people.
Unfortunately the quality of this clip is a little sketchy, but so long as you can hear the audio portion you should be all set. But be warned, what you are about to see (or hear) is not for the faint of heart. Small children, those taking heart medication or people of a weak disposition should move on to something a little more gentle. I've watched it a hundred times and it still turns my stomach.
Still willing to watch? OK, then let me set the scene for you.
The year is 2001. It's the very first weekend after 9/11 and sporting events across the country have been cancelled out of respect. Indeed, some say that this game should never have been played, but probably because nobody fancied a make-up game in the middle of November the whole league played on. After a minute silence, Portland kicked off a spirited encounter with Providence at their old ground in the East Providence hood.
The first half is drawing to a close, and after winning a lineout Portland elects to spin the ball along their backline in an attempt to break out of their 22. The ball reaches the outside center, Jason Willey, who sees nothing outside him and elects to cut back inside. Then the sound speaks for itself. Just listen...
Something like the sound of a small tree being snapped in two, and then the screaming begins. Fortunately the tape cuts off there. The reality of what had happened is that Jason had shattered his ankle completely, and only socks and skin were holding his foot on.
Cut to Portland in the huddle, no doubt seeking words of encouragement for each other after witnessing this gruesome injury. The huddle breaks up, and the players disperse, their head held low. But wait...what's this? They seem to be spreading back out across the pitch. They're actually going to play the second half. For the love of God, what has to happen for a match to be abandonned? As the players take their position they make room for the ambulance to get off the field before Dom tees up the ball to get things started again, like lambs to the slaughter.
The moral of the story? I'm not sure that there is one, but I'll leave it up to your fevered imaginations to comment a few below.
Also, since this post is sure to get some decent play, I'm going to use this opportunity to put in a shameless plug for you to check back to the site on Thursday for a new feature we'll be adding to the site. All should be revealed sometime before lunch.
5 comments:
What the hell was Willey doing at outside? That must have been during our slow phase. That's what too much fun can do to your Bones willey!
I'd like to thank Wendy for filming that for us and not even flinching when that shot gun went off and making sure that the action to follow waqs still on tape. Who was it she was dating again?? O yeah Willey!
Wendy?
Who is that?
Allison?
Who's that?
savannah?
who is that?
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