News: Perigueux player
Latu dies after heart attack; IRB to investigate the Tincu
affair
12 January 2009
Perigueux flanker Feao Latu collapsed and died during the
club’s Federale 1 match at Cahors at the weekend.
The
28-year-old Tongan is believed to have suffered a heart
attack 15 minutes into the game. The emergency services
worked for an hour to revive him but he was pronounced dead
at Cahors hospital.
“It’s
dreadful. We are completely shocked,” said Perigueux
president Michel Macary. All the players and all of the
rugby family here have lived through a drama today. It’s
hard to accept,” he added.
Latu, a
married father of two, fell to his knees and signalled to
the bench moments after Cahors had scored a try.
“Feao
Latu was well liked, entertaining and dedicated. He was
appreciated for his professionalism and his
self-discipline,” said Macary.
Team-mate Dorian Kenil added: “It’s incomprehensible. We
can’t believe it. Everyone is saying it’s not possible.”
There
were 1,000 spectators at the the match, held at the Lucien
Desprats Stadium, and the match was subsequently called off.
The
ongoing controversy over Perpignan hooker Marius Tincu
is set to be investigated by the International Rugby
Board as the Romanian continues to play in Top 14
despite an 18-week ban by ERC.
The IRB
has confirmed that South African Rugby Union president
Oregan Hoskins will head the enquiry.
Tincu, who scored for Perpignan at the
weekend, had been cleared to play in France after his club
successfully appealed that a ERC ban should not prevent him
turning out in the country’s domestic league.
This
runs contrary to IRB policy and the game’s governing body is
keen to ensure this does not set a precedent.
Elsewhere in Top 14, it appears that former All Black
scrum-half Justin Marshall could have played his last
game for Montpellier.
Marshall
was suspended from the club’s weekend defeat to Clermont
because he refused to go on as a late substitute against
Toulouse the week before.
Now he
is due to meet club president Philippe Deffins for showdown
talks on Monday, with speculation rife that he could be
heading for the exit.
There
was also bad news at Toulon with confirmation that Jerry
Collins, another former All Black, sustained lateral
ligament damage during Saturday’s defeat at Brive. The
club’s former captain is expected to undergo further tests,
but there are fears he may have played his last game of the
season for the Top 14 strugglers.
Finally, England flanker James Haskell
is today being linked with possible moves to either the
Ospreys or Toulouse. The Wasps player is in the final year
of his contract and is also believed to be on the radar of
Stade Francais.
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