What happened to Lennox-Murphy Gaudin-Kasupene and Eli Thomas Kleidon?

Both 14-year-old rugby league players sustained life-changing injuries when a vehicle lost control and struck them outside a takeaway store in Booval.

What is the current condition of the injured rugby players?

Lennox-Murphy is in a critical condition, in a coma and awaiting multiple surgeries, while Eli is in a serious but stable condition.

How is the rugby community responding to the incident?

The close-knit rugby league community has rallied around the injured players, launching fundraisers and offering support to their families.

Home / Disasters and Accidents / Young Rugby Stars' Futures Dashed in Tragic Crash

Young Rugby Stars' Futures Dashed in Tragic Crash

17 Feb

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Summary

Two 14-year-old rugby league players sustained life-altering injuries.
A P-plater lost control of a vehicle, striking the teens.
The rugby community has rallied to support the injured players.

Young Rugby Stars' Futures Dashed in Tragic Crash

Two promising young rugby league players, both 14, have suffered life-changing injuries following a devastating car crash. Lennox-Murphy Gaudin-Kasupene and Eli Thomas Kleidon were struck by a Ford Falcon driven by a P-plater outside a takeaway store in Booval, Queensland. The vehicle skidded off the road, pinning the teens against a wall.

Emergency services, including firefighters using a winch, worked to free the trapped teenagers. Both were rushed to Queensland Children's Hospital with life-threatening injuries. As of February 17, 2026, Lennox-Murphy remains in a critical condition, in a coma and awaiting several surgeries. His family expressed that his life will be irrevocably changed.