Rugby: Second English player in ICU, dies

The second of the two rugby players, who was under treatment in the Intensive Care Unit of a leading private hospital in Colombo has passed away a short while today (15).

The player, identified as Bret Thomas Reid (27), is the second player to from the visiting Durham City Clem's Pirates Rugby team to succumb under tragic circumstances, after the death of Harvard Thomas Andrew (26), who passed away on Monday (14) morning. 

According to medical officials, both deaths occurred as a result of heavy overdose of narcotics.   

It is said that two players from the team had complained about breathing difficulties and were rushed to a leading private hospital in Colombo on Sunday (13), a day after Durham City Clem's Pirates played a friendly match against CR&FC in Colombo on Saturday (12).

After emergency treatment  Andrew passed away early morning on Monday (14) while Reid was under treatment in the Intensive Care Unit. 

The Durham City Clem's Pirates arrived Sri Lanka on Thursday (10) last week with a schedule of a few friendly matches and coaching camps in Colombo and a few major cities of the country. 

The visiting team played against CR&FC on Saturday (12) and it was reported that the match ended with no evident injuries to players from any of the teams.

Local media reported that the team of 22 players had split into small groups and had been at different night clubs in Colombo after the match on Saturday (12).

They have returned to their hotel at around 4.00am on Sunday (13).