Benjamin Robinson Dead: 14-Year-Old Boy Dies After Rugby Tackles

14-Year-Old Dies After Too Many Rugby Tackles

A schoolboy who died on the rugby pitch in Northern Ireland should have been taken off earlier, his mother told his inquest.

Benjamin Robinson, 14, was involved in too many hard challenges and the game in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, was very physical, Karen Walton added.

The inquest is considering whether Benjamin had suffered concussion from an earlier tackle ahead of his final collapse which should have prompted his removal from the field.

Mrs Walton told the Belfast inquest: "I wanted Benjamin off at half time as I felt he was involved in too many tackles and I felt he had done his bit for the game regardless of when he came off.

"He was always going to go to hospital for a check up as I felt he was involved in too many challenges, just the pure physicality of the game, I have never seen him play that hard before."

Benjamin was playing for Carrickfergus Grammar against Dalriada High in January last year.

He died from Second Impact Syndrome and serious brain injury, according to state pathologist Jack Crane.

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