Emergency appendix surgery has ruled New Zealand sevens teenager Caleb Clarke out of the Commonwealth Games.
The New Zealand Olympic Committee confirmed the 19-year-old was welcomed into the Gold Coast athletes' village on Monday, only to be swiftly transferred to Brisbane hospital.
"He is scheduled to have surgery today," theNZOC said in a statement. "He is being supported by the New Zealand team medical staff and his family. We wish him well for his recovery."
Clarke, the Blues wing named MVP at the Brisbane Global Tens tournament earlier this year, is understood to have not been able to eat all Monday and gone under the knife early Tuesday morning.
The timing of his illness, two days out from the Games, could not be worse, but at least he is young and likely to get another crack in future.
Clarke, originally named 13th man, is the second player to be ruled out of the New Zealand team after young playmaker Ngarohi McGarvey-Black was forced to return home after injuring his ankle in a warm-up match against Australia.
Etene Nanai-Seturo, left out of the initial squad, flew to the Gold Coast as a replacement for McGarvey-Black on Sunday.
