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Australian Rugby is in shock after 26 year old forward Brumbies forward Shawn Mackay passed away in a South African hospital today from injuries sustained when struck by a car in Durban last week.

The tragedy has rocked the sporting community and especially the whole of the Rebel Sport Super 14. Mackay had captained Australia’s national sevens rugby team, and also spent some time coaching the recently crowned Australia women’s sevens world champions. He was on a rookie contract with the Brumbies, and was hurt when returning to the team hotel after socializing following the Brumbies’ 35-14 defeat to the Sharks.

“After his surgery Shawn contracted an infection in his bloodstream,” Andrew Fagan, the Brumbies’ chief executive officer, said in the statement.

“He deteriorated rapidly and suffered a cardiac arrest from which he didn’t recover.”

Brumbies coach Andy Friend received the news as the side was flying back to Australia.He told his players soon after they touched down at Sydney airport, before appearing from immigration for a sombre press conference.
"It is the worst possible news," Friend said.

"It's fair to say that we are all in shock and we have taken the news very, very hard. When we left South Africa we all hoped that Macca would recover quickly and would be joining us home in a matter of weeks. To hear that the blood infection has led to a cardiac arrest and has taken his life is very hard for us to reconcile."

"Shawn Mackay was an outstanding person. When we recruited Macca to the Brumbies we did so for his character as much as for his outstanding rugby skills."

"He was generous, he was warm, he was funny and an enthusiastic player."

ARU Managing Director and CEO John O’Neill was also quick to comment.

“Obviously the thoughts and prayers of everyone in the game go to Shawn’s family at this most difficult time. Shawn was a wonderful young man, a credit to the game of Rugby, and much loved by all who knew him. We were all hoping after the terrible events of last week that he would recover from what were horrific injuries. He had a fighting spirit that inspired those around him.

"As captain of the Australian Sevens team, his leadership qualities were evident to anyone who came into contact with that team. Last year he also took on the coaching of the Australian Women’s Sevens team and guided them to the Oceania title which qualified the side for the IRB Rugby World Cup Sevens.

“The girls, after winning the World Cup in Dubai last month, paid tribute to the role Shawn played last year in assisting them on their quest. This news today has shocked not only the Rugby world but the entire sporting fraternity given the friends Shawn had across the various codes.”

Shawn’s father John was a former Eastern Suburbs rugby league player, and Shawn was following the same career path with the Roosters before switching codes. A former pupil at Waverley College in Sydney, Mackay graduated from the Sevens program into Super 14 this season with the Canberra-based Brumbies.