Brogan Watt has emergency brain surgery after match

West Coast forward Brogan Watt has emergency brain surgery after match

  • West Coast rugby player Brogan Watt suffered a brain clot after a match
  • He remains in a coma after undergoing emergency brain surgery
  • The 23-year-old complained of feeling ill shortly after the Heartland Championship match finished
A West Coast rugby player remains in a coma after undergoing emergency brain surgery following his side’s 62-28 loss to Poverty Bay on Saturday.

Loose forward Brogan Watt, 23, complained of feeling ill shortly after the Heartland Championship match finished in Greymouth.

West Coast Rugby Union chief executive Mike Connors said Watt remains in intensive care at Christchurch Hospital with the support of his family.


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“We are just lucky that we had some St John’s people there and a physio and some medical people who were able to get him to hospital very quickly.”

After arriving at Grey Base Hospital, he was airlifted to Christchurch Hospital.

“They got the plane over and flew him to Christchurch where he had surgery on Saturday night,” he said.

Watt had a blood clot which was causing pressure on his brain.

His surgery involved surgeons removing a piece of his skull so they could remove the clot.

He remains in a coma in a critical, but stable condition.

Watt started Saturday’s match at openside flanker, but was replaced in the second half.

Connors said the substitution had nothing to do with any injuries.

“He was just subbed off as they do now days,” he said.

The West Coast Rugby Union, New Zealand Rugby and the New Zealand Rugby Foundation have all offered support to Watt’s family.

“It is a time thing really and I don’t think the family will know much more until later in the week.”

Watt made his debut for West Coast in 2015 and has been a regular in the team ever since.


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