Spinal injury leaves Cal rugby player partially paralyzed

SAN JOSE -- A player on the men's rugby team at the University of California, Berkeley, was severely injured during the team's national title game Saturday and was being treated for partial paralysis, CBS SF Bay Area reports.

With his teammates keeping a vigil outside his room, Robert Paylor received treatment at San Jose's Valley Medical Center for a spinal injury that has left him with limited motion in his arms and paralyzed from the waist down. 

Paylor, a sophomore, was injured Saturday night during the Cal Golden Bears' title game against Arkansas State on Saturday night at the Penn Mutual Varsity Cup in Santa Clara. Cal won by a 43-13 score to win a second straight rugby 15s national championship.   

On a GoFundMe page, Paylor's family wrote that he has a 'long road' ahead of him.

"This will be a long and difficult journey for Robert and his outcome is uncertain," the statement says. "But we know his faith and determination will get him as far as he can go in regaining mobility." 

He has undergone at least one surgical procedure to stabilize his spine.

"Robert is a strong young man with incredible faith, a wonderful family and friends to help him recover," the family wrote.

The strength of the support was evident at Valley Medical Center on Tuesday as his teammates clogged the hallway outside his room. 

On Saturday, the entire Cal rugby team visited him in the hospital. In a waiting room, they signed well wishes to him on a Cal jersey.