Former Waratahs player Kelly Meafua has died aged 32 after jumping off a bridge while celebrating a win for his club team in France.
Meafua, who represented his birth country Samoa in sevens, had most recently been playing for Montauban in France’s Pro D2 second division.
Reports out of France said the flanker was celebrating Saturday’s (AEST) victory over Narbonne with his teammates before he jumped more than 20 metres from the Pont Vieux bridge into the Tarn river.
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Montauban prop Christopher Vaotoa reportedly went to Meafua’s aid but had to be rescued by firefighters and was taken to hospital with hypothermia.
Meafua’s body was then recovered the following morning.
“Everyone at USM (Union Sportive Montauban) is in complete shock, Kelly was so well liked,” the club said in a statement.
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Montauban also posted a tribute to Meafua on its website.
“USM Sapiac painfully announces the death of Kelly Meafua on the night of Friday to Saturday. One of his teammates tried to rescue him, without success.
“Transported to the hospital for hypothermia, he (Vaotoa) was released this morning in good health. All training is suspended until further notice.
“The entire USM Sapiac club is shocked by this tragedy, and has a thought for his wife, his children, his teammates, and more generally, all club lovers.
“Kelly was a player very appreciated by all, his joie de vivre (zest for life) was infectious and radiant.”
Meafua moved from Samoa to New Zealand as a 14-year-old but didn’t play rugby until he was 20.
https://twitter.com/UsmSapiacRugby/status/1522886850536525824?s=20&t=lca8uJBuMjizaHfQrbVZ1Q
He quickly rose the ranks in Auckland before moving to Sydney to play for West Harbour in the Shute Shield.
Meafua then attracted the interest of the Waratahs with his performances for the Greater Sydney Rams in the National Rugby Championship.
An impressive 1.88m athlete, Meafua played for the Waratahs in the Global Tens tournament in 2018 and was a member of their squad without playing a Super Rugby game.
He then took his talents to France, earning contracts with Beziers and Montauban.
Pacific Rugby Welfare said it was “shocked and saddened to hear the news coming out of France” and its thoughts were with the families of Meafua and Vaotoa.