Regan Wilson died the day after he helped coach the Marist senior side to a hard-fought victory against Blues.
Mr Wilson, a married father of two children, had been a talented player in rugby and touch while growing up and also excelling in athletics.
Rugby Southland pathways manager Scott Eade had played and coached alongside Mr Wilson since he was 11 or 12.
Mr Eade said it was a massive loss.
A series of concussions had led Mr Wilson to stop playing rugby when he was still young and he decided to coach instead.
As a player, who came from Nightcaps, he was selected for the New Zealand Maori U18 side, one of only two players from the South Island picked in 2016.
Once he decided to stop playing, he coached at his old school Central Southland College as well as the Midlands club.
In the past two years he had helped coach the Marist premier team.
He also coached the Southland Country U18 team for four years and at the Highlanders School Camp in Dunedin last year.
A backs coach, he had done a lot for a 26-year-old, Mr Eade said.
"He was a very calm, measured guy.
"A simple demeanor and a good way with people."
Mr Eade said it had been a "pretty rough" past few days.
"Especially when you talk to someone every day and see them lots ... it will be tough for a lot of people over the next couple of days.
"He was loved by a lot of people."
Former Marist coach Marty Smith said he was completely shocked when he had heard of Mr Wilson’s death.
"He was never rattled when coaching.
"A very calm guy who always had a smile on his face.
"His coaching was getting better and better."
Winton Athletics committee member Pete Turner said Mr Wilson was a top sprinter when he was young.
He was one of a core group at Winton Athletics who helped the club grow from a membership of 15 to 200.
"Everyone really looked up to him.
"He was a nice guy and a really good sprinter."
He was part of a unbeaten relay team and picked up medals at a highly competitive Colgate Games in Nelson in his last year at that level.
Nearly $50,000 had been raised for Mr Wilson’s family through a give-a-little page.
His funeral is at the Ascot Park complex tomorrow afternoon.
— APL
