Rugby players

Stanton Albert and Brendon Gotuno, to clear the air on why they were dropped from the 2022 PNG Hunters team.

Thomas Howard, 25, and Thomas Baty, 26, had been touring the country with Durham-based Clems Pirates RFC when they visited the club in Colombo.

Mr Howard, from Durham, died after being admitted to hospital on Sunday.

Mr Baty, also from Durham, who had been critically ill in the same hospital, has also now died.

Durham City Rugby Football Club, which oversees the team, confirmed Mr Howard died after "suffering breathing problems".

NZ Rugby Players Association boss Rob Nichol told Radio Sport Breakfast that the law change came as a surprise, the details ‘buried’ in the latest agreement.

“It came apparently through the participation agreement that the teams signed. But it was buried. We certainly weren’t across it. New Zealand Rugby, I don’t think were across it and the players haven’t been consulted or involved in the decision, from our perspective anyway,” said Nichol.

“We’re just trying to unpack it a bit and work with World Rugby and try and address it.”