James Lasis: Rugby player on life support after scrum collapse
Family handoutThe family of a 25-year-old rugby player are to fly out to France to be at his bedside after he suffered serious injuries on the pitch.
James Lasis, of Horsted Keynes, is on life support after surgery for a neck injury suffered while playing in Nice.
His mother Judy Lasis said: "He can't speak obviously because he's got tubes inside him, but he's fully conscious.
"Communication at the moment is via winking and he has no movement at the moment."
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The ex-Brighton College student was playing for French third division side Stade Nicois when he was injured after a scrum collapsed.
After his injury, Harlequins tweeted: "We are praying for our former Academy player James Lasis who suffered a serious injury playing in France last weekend. Keep fighting, James."
The Rugby Players Association tweeted: "Our thoughts are with his family, keep fighting."
Mrs Lasis, who was watching the match on Sunday on YouTube, said: "It all unfolded in front of our eyes, I'm afraid. I can't really tell you how difficult it was."
She said her son was left unconscious after the scrum collapsed.
He was placed on a board and taken by ambulance to hospital.
"We couldn't communicate with anyone, that was the worst thing," she said. "I was shouting, screaming at the screen but it was just so difficult."
Messages of support have poured in from across the world including one from the French minister for sport, Mrs Lasis said.
She said the rugby club had supported them throughout, helped to arrange their visit to France and had been "marvellous".
'An extraordinary lad'
Stade Nicois, which has set up a fundraising page, said Mr Lasis was currently being treated at Nice University Hospital and was in a "worrying condition".
The club said it had only one priority, which was "to support James throughout this ordeal and to support his family".
It said that messages of support are being collected for Mr Lasis, and added: "James is an extraordinary lad and rugby player and all your expressions of sympathy…will undoubtedly do him good."
