England coach Andrew Strawbridge on how he nearly died 'several times' after being struck down with sepsis and defying losing sight in one eye to work with Steve Borthwick's side Strawbridge was struck down with sepsis nine years ago following an infection The 60-year-old lost his sight in one eye but returned to work with the All Blacks He has joined the England set-up after consultation work in the Six Nations By Chris Foy Published: 07:00 EDT, 10 July 2024 | Updated: 07:01 EDT, 10 July 2024 e-mail View comments Should England’s players or staff ever require inspiration about spirit in adversity, they will find it in conversation with their new Kiwi coach, Andrew Strawbridge, who nearly died ‘several times’ in 2015. The 60-year-old recruit to Steve Borthwick ’s Red Rose management team has spoken about being struck down by what he calls ‘a hideous little thing’ – sepsis , and how he lived to tell the tale. He is defying a bleak medical prognosis and the loss of his sight in one eye to work in Test rugby and he wants to highlight the widespread scourge of a blood-poisoning illness which kills eight million people worldwide every year.
Having returned to New Zealand with his new employers, Strawbridge recounted what happened to him nine years ago. It was a harrowing episode. ‘I was going to Samoa to help them with the World Cup and I got ill on the plane,’ he said.
‘I had a little graze on my eye. I picked up a little infection at the airport – the super.