A Sussex teenager suffered horrific injuries in a rugby match, sparking calls for a crackdown on violence in the sport.

James Hadley-Binderson, 17, from Peacehaven, will probably have metal plates in his skull for the rest of his life, after his jaw was broken in two places during an amateur match.

He suffered cuts, concussion and a smashed jaw in the last moments of the semi-final of the Sussex League between his team, the Uckfield Colts, and Burgess Hill Colts on Sunday.

The incident could have far-reaching consequences for his prospects of a sporting career.

Today James should have been interviewed for a place on a sports teaching degree course at University of Brighton but he was forced to cancel.

Sussex Police and the Sussex Rugby Football Union have been informed and Uckfield Rugby Club is investigating the incident.

James, who underwent an operation at the Royal Sussex County Hospital to have metal plates and wires fitted in his smashed jaw on Monday, said: "I am absolutely gutted. We got through to the final of the Sussex League and I won't be able to play in that either.

"I remember going into the ruck and then woke spitting a lot of blood. I could feel the breaks in my jaw. I can't believe what happened, especially because I was nowhere near the ball."

James will be on liquids for the next month and has been ordered by doctors not to play any contact sports for at least three months.

It means he will miss a rugby tour of Barbados, organised by mothers of the Uckfield Colts.

Today England and Wasps rugby player Alex King, who is from Brighton, joined calls for a crackdown on wanton violence in the game.

Mr King said: "Rugby is a contact sport but there is no place for gratuitous violence. You can get injuries from fair tackles but all it takes is for someone to do something stupid and you end up in hospital.

"Generally incidents like these are quite rare but I think when it does happen it should get attention and there should be appropriate punishment. At premiership level you probably get less violence because most games are filmed and because of the standard of refereeing."

James's father, David Hadley-Binderson, said: "I want this sort of thing stamped out of the game. It is a contact sport but unless we do something at an early age, when players are still learning, this will just continue and the game will get worse."

Pending an investigation by Uckfield Rugby Club, the Sussex Rugby Football Union could be called in. The SRFU has the power to ban players for life.