Clea Menier, 17, dies after injury in Marmande under-18s match

A 17-year-old rugby player has died after suffering an injury during an under-18s match in Marmande, in south-west France. Clea Menier, a back row (a forward who plays at the back of the scrum) for Union du Bassin Marmandais, was hurt in a game against Agen Agglo Rugby, according to BBC Sport.

She received medical treatment on the field and was resuscitated after a cardiac arrest, a sudden stop in the heart and breathing. La Dépêche, which first reported the incident on 17 October, described the resuscitation. She was then taken to Pellegrin Hospital in Bordeaux, where she died from her injuries.

Ouest-France reported that she had taken a blow to the head during the match, and that the cardiac arrest followed that impact. Neither her club nor the French Rugby Federation has said what kind of injury she suffered, and the details of what happened on the pitch have not been made public.

The French Rugby Federation said it had learned of the death of the 17-year-old, who was licensed with the Marmande club, and expressed deep sadness at the news. The match was a women's fixture, and rugby in France has seen a growing number of girls and women take up the sport at youth level.

Clea's death is a loss for her family, her team-mates and everyone at Union du Bassin Marmandais and Agen Agglo Rugby. Our thoughts are with them all.