Rugby player dies on pitch

Nov 6 2006 By Neil Elkes, Birmingham Mail

A POPULAR rugby player died after collapsing with a heart attack during a match.

Scrum-half Malcolm Weller, aged 40, was playing for the Old Edwardians at their ground in Streetsbrook Road, Shirley, Solihull, on Saturday afternoon when tragedy struck.

The third team captain and number nine collapsed during open play in the match against Old Salts and, despite receiving instant medical attention on the pitch, died later at hospital.

Malcolm, a divorced father-of-two, was due to watch his ten-year-old son James make his debut for the junior team on Sunday afternoon.

He had been an Old Edwardian for about 17 years and as well as being third team captain, was junior team coach and a committee member.

Club chairman Paul Price said: " He was very popular and an all-round good guy to be with. He was always at the club, and always willing to help. He will be sadly missed, especially by the junior players.

"Rugby was his life. He was a Londoner and was a big fan of Wasps and would travel down to see their home games."

Mr Price said he fell over once, got up and said he would be all right and then keeled over again.

"One of the players who is a doctor and another who was a nurse gave him heart massage for about 20 minutes until the air ambulance arrived and took him to hospital.

"We got a call later on to say he had died."

Malcolm, who lived in Shirley, was a forklift driver. In addition to his son James, he leaves a daughter Danielle, aged 16.

The Old Edwardians cancelled their Sunday afternoon fixtures following the tragedy.

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