- Scarlets winger Macs Page was involved in a frightening incident during the United Rugby Championship match at DHL Stadium
- The 21-year-old appeared to lose consciousness after his head struck the turf during a tackle by a Springbok star
- Page had been in stunning form this season, prompting calls from his own director of rugby for a Wales call-up
Welsh winger Macs Page was at the centre of alarming scenes during the Scarlets' United Rugby Championship fixture against the Stormers in Cape Town, after appearing to lose consciousness on the pitch at DHL Stadium.
The 21-year-old was attempting to score his second try of the match when Springbok fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu brought him down close to the try line. As Page hit the ground, his head struck the turf hard and he spilled the ball forward, seemingly knocked out by the impact.
Medical staff rushed onto the field immediately, and Feinberg-Mngomezulu remained crouched beside the stricken player as treatment was administered. A stretcher was brought on while several medics surrounded Page, creating a tense atmosphere inside the stadium.
It was a relief to those watching when Page eventually got to his feet and walked off the field under his own power, though he did so with medics steadying his head and an oxygen mask fitted over his face, highlighting the seriousness of the knock he had sustained.
Before the incident, Page had been one of the more lively players on the pitch, having already crossed for a try — his fifth of the season.
The timing of the injury is particularly unfortunate for the young wing, who had narrowly missed selection for Wales' 39-man autumn squad earlier in the week despite his strong start to the campaign. Page featured on Wales' summer tour of Japan last year but did not earn a cap.
Scarlets director of rugby Nigel Davies had publicly backed Page for international recognition just days before the match. "Obviously he's been excellent in the first block of the season. It's great that we've got seven boys in there and a lot of people are saying we should have eight with Macs," Davies said.
Davies acknowledged that Wales head coach Steve Tandy faces increasingly difficult selection decisions. "I think Steve Tandy has probably got a situation where he hasn't had before where he's got some really tough calls in most positions now. We're creating a lot of depth, which we haven't had."
On Page's international future, Davies was unequivocal: "I suppose with Macs, it's a matter of when, not if, he plays for Wales, given the way he's developing. I think he's just getting better."
Source: Briefly News
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