The Southampton medical student who almost died on a rugby pitch is returning to the game – but only to watch.
Fellow medical students fought for 30 minutes to keep Michael Davies alive.
their efforts in a field, at Bighton near Alresford, made national headlines after the Daily Echo reported the story last November.
Mr Davies battled for life in intensive care and amazingly walked out of hospital just two weeks after the game between the university medical school and Alresford.
On Saturday, 24 year-old Mr Davies will step on a rugby pitch again – but this time as a spectator at a fundraising match.
Since the near-death experience he has had an ICD fitted which monitors the heart. When it detects an arrhythmia, it delivers a shock.
Mr Davies, of Holyrood Avenue, Portswood, said he had hoped to play in the match but had been advised not to.
He said: "I have been told it is not a good idea for me to carry on playing. I'm a sporty guy so it's sad. I've been told I can still play go, go to the gym or ski but anything with sprinting will be a problem.
"I think my team mates are relieved. Exercise might make my condition worse and put me at risk of heart failure," he said.
However, fears his future career as a surgeon might be jeopardised by slight brain damage affecting his concentration have been allayed. Tests so far have shown no damage.
The fundraising match is at 2pm at the University of Southampton sports ground at Wide Lane, Eastleigh.
Proceeds will go to the Royal Hampshire County Hospital, the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young and the Arrhythmia Alliance.
