Peter Joseph Haylen v New South Wales Rugby Union Limited [2002] NSWSC 114

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Peter Joseph Haylen v New South Wales Rugby Union Limited [2002] NSWSC 114 FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 11883/88 HEARING DATE(S) : 20/02/02, 21/02//02 JUDGMENT DATE : 15 March 2002

PARTIES : Peter Joseph Haylen (Plaintiff) New South Wales Rugby Union Limited (Defendant) JUDGMENT OF : Einstein J

COUNSEL : Mr Kearns QC, Mr McGrath (Plaintiff) Mr Montgomery (Defendant) SOLICITORS : TD Kelly & Co. (Plaintiff) Deacons Lawyers (Defendant) CATCHWORDS : Negligence - Duty of care - Personal injury - Injury sustained playing rugby - Whether New South Wales Rugby Union Limited owed a duty of care to plaintiff to so organise and regulate the playing of the game of rugby union so as not to expose the plaintiff to unnecessary risk of injury LEGISLATION CITED : Supreme Court Rules 1970 (NSW) Agar v Hyde; Agar v Worsley (2000) 201 CLR 552 Birkett v James [1978] AC 297 Brisbane South Regional Health Authority v Taylor (1996) 186 CLR 541 Buttita v Strathfield Municipal Council (unreported, 8 October 2001, NSWCA, BC 200106180) Casauria & Ors v De Kever & Ors (unreported, 21 November 1994, VSC) Cassa Commerciale Australia Ltd v Sofia (unreported, 14 July 1998, NSWSC, Einstein J) Chief Executive Officer of Customs v Tony Longo Pty Ltd [2001] NSWCA 147 Clough v Rogers (1974) 48 ALJR 481 Crimmins v Stevedoring Industry Finance Committee (1999) 200 CLR 1 Cropper v Smith (1884) 26 Ch D 700 Department of Transport v Chris Smaller (Transport) Ltd [1989] AC 1197 Dey v Victorian Railways Commissioners (1949) 78 CLR 62 CASES CITED : Donoghue v Stevenson [1932] AC 562 General Steel Industries Inc v Commissioner for Railways (NSW) (1964) 112 CLR 125 Hyde v Agar, Worsley v Australian Rugby Football Union Ltd (1998) 45 NSWLR 487 Insurance Exchange of Australia Group v Dooley (2000) 50 NSWLR 222 Southern Cross Exploration NL v Fire & All Risks Insurance Company Limited (1986) 4 NSWLR 491 Rootes v Shelton (1967) 116 CLR 383 State of Queensland v J L Holdings Pty Ltd (1996) 189 CLR 146 Stollznow v Calvert [1980] 2 NSWLR 749 Sullivan v Moody (2001) 183 ALR 404 WB Anderson & Sons Ltd v Rhodes (Liverpool) Ltd [1967] 2 All ER 850 Witten v Lombard Australia Limited (1968) 88 WN (Pt 1) (NSW) 405 Woods v Multi-Sport Holdings Pty Ltd [Unreported, High Court of Australia, [2002] HCA 9] Wyong Shire Council v Shirt (1980) 140 CLR 40 Zuijs v Wirth Brothers Limited (1955) 93 CLR 561 DECISION : Orders to be made dismissing the proceedings.