Heroic actions by Black Country teacher helps to save the life of a rugby coach during a match

Newport Salop RUFC's match against Rossendale Rugby Club last Saturday was abandoned after 31 minutes following a medical emergency involving a member of the Lancashire club's coaching team. 

The coach collapsed on the sidelines after suffering a cardiac arrest. Immediately the game was stopped and efforts switched towards trying to save his life. 

Black Country teacher and Newport Salop RUFC player coach Chris Taylor, 37, worked with his team's medic, Blythe Ferguson, the opposition's medic, and former teammate turned to opponent, Lewis Allen to provide CPR and care until ambulance crews arrived. 

Chris, who is a teacher at Old Swinford Hospital School in Stourbridge, sprang into action and helped set up a defibrillator and provided chest compressions alongside Rossendale's captain, Lewis, who he formerly played with at another club.

The North West Ambulance Service received a call at 2.51pm reporting the medical emergency, and said the coach was taken to hospital for further treatment by air ambulance.

Together with spectators, fellow players and medics, Chris' actions were instinctive.  

"We were playing and then there was a knock-on or a mistake and the referee blew the whistle, then our coach shouted over to the referee that there was a medical emergency," said the teacher. "So I ran over being first aid trained through the school to try and assist and see what was happening. 

"Lewis, who I used to play with, got on the chest straight away and started giving compressions, then our physio was getting out the breathing masks and another member of the public helped to do that.

"The ambulance crew arrived and asked if Lewis was comfortable carrying on CPR, which he was, but then five minutes later they asked for him to be rotated round and I said I was happy to step in do it. I continued CPR for about 10 minutes before another ambulance crew arrived.

"It all happened really quickly but it was a real team effort with everybody doing little bits to try and give him the best chance. It was a bit surreal but you try and do something."

In a social media post on Monday, Newport Salop RUFC said: "Sometimes there are more important things in life than rugby."

The club stated that the Rossendale coach was put in an induced coma and is continuing to be treated at Blackburn Hospital. 

Chris, who is Newport born and bred, and attended Haberdashers' Adams Grammar School, has played at Newport Salop RUFC for more than 15 years, and wished the Rossendale coach the best. 

The 37-year-old added: "It is the first time that anything like that has ever happened and hopefully the last.

"It puts things into perspective what is important and that is life isn’t it?

"I think because I am first aid trained and work in a school I will always go towards it and see if I can help. I gauged that they needed help so I started cutting the top ready for the defibrillator. 

"Everybody was playing their part. Within 10-minutes the ambulance had arrived, the response was really quick.

"I know it was around half an hour but it seemed like five minutes. Everybody chipped in and worked well to give him the best chance."

Newport Salop Rugby Club praised the actions of Chris and Lewis, saying the match will be remembered for "the actions of two young men who through their efforts have saved the life of a fellow human being". 

The game between Rossendale and Newport is due to be replayed on February 22.

Director of Rugby at Newport Salop Rugby Club, Steve Dolphin said: "It was something that was obviously scary for everybody around.

"If it wasn't for the quick actions of one of our players, Chris, and the opposition fly-half (Lewis) who spent over 30 minutes doing CPR with the gentleman...thankfully as of this moment they have saved his life.

"Our first aid team and Blythe Ferguson were amazing as well. She was co-ordinating things and making sure we got the defibrillator.

"All our prayers go with the coach at this time and we hope that he makes a full recovery. 

"I have never encountered anything like this before and you hope not to.

"Special thanks need to go to the two players that jumped into action and were real heroes on the day."