New Zealand
Chiefs assistant coach set to return home from Samoa
ESPN Staff
July 10, 2015
Chiefs coaches Wayne Smith, Andrew Strawbridge, Tom Coventry and Dave Rennie celebrate their second successive Super Rugby final victory, Chiefs v Brumbies, Super Rugby, Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, August 3, 2013
Andrew Strawbridge (second-left) was part of the Chiefs coaching team that won back-to-back Super Rugby titles © Getty Images
Enlarge
Related Links

Chiefs assistant coach Andrew Strawbridge remains in a critical condition after he was transferred from Moto'otua National Hospital, Samoa, to Waikato Hospital in Hamilton. Strawbridge took ill during his flight to Samoa to join the Manu Samoa team ahead of their historic All Blacks Test and was hospitalised in a critical condition on Tuesday.

The Chiefs released a statement on Saturday morning to say that his condition had stabilised and he had been deemed stable enough to travel home. An Auckland Air Ambulance transferred Strawbridge on Friday evening and arrived back in New Zealand early Friday evening in a stable but critical condition.

A hospital spokeswoman said on Friday that Strawbridge was awake and could hear when people talked to him, but he could not speak because he was on a mechanical ventilator. The spokeswoman said Strawbridge was being treated with antibiotics.

Chiefs chief executive Andrew Flexman said: "We truly appreciate the incredible support that has been provided by the hospital staff, the people of the Samoan Rugby Union, the All Blacks and the Chiefs players who are on the ground over there."

Samoa Rugby Union acting chief executive Faleomavaega Vincent Fepuleai said: "We are all deeply shocked at how quickly this has evolved and we are very concerned for Straw's health. We are now doing everything we can to support him, Laura and their families."

Laura Strawbridge said: "We are touched and overwhelmed by the kindness and alofam shown to us by friends and strangers and the wider rugby community. I would particularly like to thank the wonderful All Blacks supporter, here for the Test match, who responded to the call for a donation of Andrew's blood type."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd

Live Sports

Communication error please reload the page.

ABOUT COOKIES

To help make this website better, to improve and personalize your experience and for advertising purposes, are you happy to accept cookies and other technologies.

More Info Here Cookie Choices