Elvidge, who captained both the All Blacks and the Otago team that held the Ranfurly Shield in the late 1940s, died in Auckland on Saturday.
At 96, he was the oldest living All Black.
It is the end of an era for Otago rugby. Elvidge was the last of the union's All Blacks from that Ranfurly Shield period.
Elvidge was one of 11 All Blacks from Otago who toured South Africa in 1949. Another four Otago players played for an All Black team in the same year against Australia.
Timaru-born Elvidge went to John McGlashan College and studied medicine at the University of Otago.
A midfield back, who at more than 80kg was considered big for his position, he had deceptive pace with an ability to free players outside him, and was a strong defender.
Elvidge played 30 games for Otago from 1942-50. He captained the Otago team that won the shield off Southland in 1947 and held it for 18 games.
Elvidge played 19 games for the All Blacks, including nine tests, captaining the side in seven games. He made his All Black debut in 1946, the first test after World War 2.
The medical student continued to play for the All Blacks and went on the 1949 tour of South Africa.
He ended up captaining the side in the final two tests of that ill-fated tour after captain Fred Allen was dropped.
Elvidge played the opening test of the 1950 test series against the British Isles at Carisbrook. He scored a try out wide at the end of the game that enabled the All Blacks to draw the game 9-9.
In the third test of the series, in Wellington, Elvidge was badly hurt and forced to leave the field with cuts to his face and an injured collarbone.
But as the All Blacks went down to 13 men, Elvidge came back out on the paddock early in the second half.
In the dying minutes, Elvidge took a ball from Otago team-mate Peter Johnstone and dived through a tackle to score a courageous try.
The All Blacks won the game 6-3.
That was the last game of rugby Elvidge played. He went to the United Kingdom to train as a gynaecologist before returning to live in Auckland.
