Christie clocked up 73 games for Tasman in the NPC, nine games for Buller, eight games for the Māori All Blacks and made one appearance for the Crusaders in 2013.
He played 29 games for the Highlanders between 2014 and 2017 and was the defence coach for the club in 2021 and 2022.
Christie was forced into early retirement at 32 following a series of concussions.
His death comes two years after the loss of his close friend Billy Guyton.
After Christie's retirement, he continued to struggle with symptoms and spoke out about the dangers of head injuries in rugby.
Christie told the New Zealand Herald last year he had suffered more than 10 concussions in his career, and head knocks he suffered while playing for the Highlanders in 2016 had started his spiral.
“For three months I wasn’t recovering in time and then realised, ‘S..., I have done a bit of damage to myself,'' Christie told the Herald.
"I will spend another three or four months trying to come right. And it didn’t come right.”
His last two concussions came during training sessions, Christie claimed.
“One of them was on my chest, one was on the side of my head . . . that is what brought my symptoms back enough for me to go, ‘I am not quite right, what is going on?’.”
New Zealand Rugby said it acknowledged Christie’s death with “deep sadness".
Christie forged “deep connections” with the Tasman and Highlanders rugby sides as a player and a coach, NZR said.
"Any time the rugby community loses a member, it is felt deeply. Shane’s passion for the game will be remembered always.
“Our thoughts are with Shane’s whānau, friends, former team-mates, and community at this incredibly difficult time.”
Tasman Rugby chief executive Steve Mitchell told the Marlborough App Christie’s death came as a shock.
"I'm shocked and really sad. My concerns are for his family. I'm gutted,’’ he said
Christie was described as a "true legend'' of the province by Tasman Rugby.
"A proud Tassy man, Shane will be dearly missed by his teammates, colleagues, and the wider rugby whānau," the union said on social media.
