Rugby legend: How I almost quit over friend’s injury on school pitch

Schoolmates: Rob Andrew and Chris McKean
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David Churchill24 September 2015

A close friend of rugby legend Rob Andrew who was paralysed from the neck down after being tackled on their school pitch today revealed the incident almost led the former England fly-half to quit the game.

Chris McKean, 52, was playing alongside schoolmates Andrew and fellow England veteran Rory Underwood in County Durham in 1978 when the tackle broke his neck, leaving him quadriplegic. He was just 15 at the time.

Speaking about the injury for the first time in 37 years, he told the Standard: “I think he (Andrew) almost thought about leaving rugby over it. I think it really affected him. But we have been friends all along and him and Rory have never forgotten me.

“I’ve got no qualms against the game. The tackle wasn’t malicious or anything.”

McKean still travels to a match at least once every two years, and praised the “phenomenal” work of Twickenham-based charity the Injured Players Foundation, whose patron is Prince Harry. The charity, which helps those severely disabled by the game, hosted McKean at its hospitality box for England’s first warm-up against France at Twickenham.

Andrew, also 52, said: “He’s one of my best mates and what the IPF do is immeasurable. The sport will never forget people injured in those circumstances.”

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