A senior Mercury Bay rugby player was airlifted to hospital after sustaining injuries during a match in Whitianga on Saturday.

Mercury Bay Rugby and Sports Club captain Mike Skeen says the Senior B player is still in hospital and he is waiting to be updated on the player’s condition.

A Westpac Rescue Helicopter crew was called to Whitianga shortly before 2pm on Saturday to assist a man in his 20s involved in an accident playing rugby.

He was flown to Middlemore Hospital.

Mike says the player went to charge down a kick, and jumped, coming down on another player, and landing on his neck and shoulders.

He says the game was then stopped and medical staff immobilised the player, before an ambulance arrived at the scene.

Club president Eric Gaskell says he doen't have much information, other than someone being hurt during a match.

He says the player had already been placed in an ambulance when he arrived at the match.

A Westpac Rescue Helicopter spokesman said the crew were called to assist at 1.57pm.

The spokesman says he could not “mention specifics to protect the identity of the patient”.

He says the patient was transported to Middlemore Hospital in moderate condition.

-NZ Herald.