A TEENAGER left fighting for his life after collapsing on the rugby pitch has shown “promising signs of recovery”.

Friends and colleagues of Sam Windross, who is understood to be 19, said they had been relieved to learn yesterday that he was “awake, breathing and talking”, after suffering critical injuries while playing for Northallerton Rugby Club on Saturday.

They said they had prayed for positive news since Mr Windross got up after a tackle and ran about ten yards before falling down during the match against Halifax Vandals in Warley, West Yorkshire, on Saturday afternoon.

The Yorkshire Division Three game was stopped and then abandoned while a medical student in the Northallerton team, along with a theatre matron and an ambulance responder who were watching the match, tried to resuscitate him.

He was taken to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary’s intensive care unit, but the nature of Mr Windross’ injuries, which he is believed to have sustained moments before collapsing, remains unclear.

A spokeswoman for the hospital said last night the former pupil at Bootham School, in York, was stable and no longer critically ill.

A spokesman for the club, in Northallerton Road, Brompton, confirmed Mr Windross’ family had sent a text message from the intensive care unit to relay the news to concerned friends.

Justin Birkett, owner of North York Moors-based country pursuits firm Rievaulx Sporting, for whom Mr Windross has worked as a gamekeeper for two years, said he said he too had been given promising news about the player’s condition from his family yesterday, but declined to go into detail.

Mr Birkett said everyone at the estate wanted to give Mr Windross their best wishes.

Jonathan Taylor, headteacher at Bootham School, said everyone’s thoughts were with Mr Windross and his family at a very worrying time.

He said: “During his time at Bootham, Sam was a firstclass athlete, winning county recognition as a cross-country champion and in league-winning basketball teams.

“He was a lively member of the school community and devoted to his sport – we send every possible good wish for a full and speedy recovery.”