The ACT Brumbies lock Shawn Mackay, who suffered spinal injuries and a broken leg after being hit by a car outside a Durban nightclub, died in hospital today from a bloodstream infection following surgery, the club said.

Mackay had woken up from a medically-induced coma last week and started communicating with doctors and family through blinking after undergoing surgery to his spine. But the Brumbies spokesman David Pembroke said Mackay's condition had taken a turn for the worse overnight.

"[The feeling in Canberra] is one of complete devastation," said Pembroke. "It was bad enough that he was injured, but for this to happen is just devastating, not only for the club but for the entire rugby community. He was just a wonderful bloke to have as part of the team."

His death had come despite showing "positive signs of recovery", the Brumbies chief executive Andrew Fagan told the club's website. "Shawn contracted an infection of his bloodstream after surgery. He deteriorated rapidly, and suffered a cardiac arrest from which he didn't recover."

Andy Friend choked back tears. "I was notified in flight from South Africa and notified the players upon our arrival," the shaken team coach said, reading from a prepared statement. "It's the worst possible news and it's fair to say we're all in shock and we've taken the news very, very hard.

"When we left South Africa we all hoped Macca would recover very quickly and would be joining us at home in a matter of weeks. To hear that the blood infection has led to a cardiac arrest and has taken his life is all very hard for us to reconcile."

Friend paid tribute to the former Australia Sevens player, labelling him a quality player and human being. "Shawn Mackay was an outstanding person," Friend said. "When we recruited Macca to the Brumbies we did so for his character as much as his outstanding rugby skills."

Mackay joined the Brumbies this season after spending the past five years playing rugby league in Sydney. He was selected as a reserve for the Brumbies against the Sharks but came off the bench to play in his team's 35–14 loss in their Super 14 match last month. He was struck by a car while returning to the hotel with team-mates in the early hours of the morning.