Jordan Kemp was described as a promising young rugby player from a highly regarded and well known rugby family. Now his family and clubmates are grieving after he died following a game on Saturday.
Investigations are underway into what led to the 17-year-old's death in Auckland Hospital a day later, Radio New Zealand report.
The Otamatea club president, Kevin Robinson, said the teenager was tackled before he collapsed to the ground. He told Morning Report he suffered a concussion earlier in the season and was sidelined for five or six weeks, but he had been cleared to return to play by a doctor.
“Our club is very devastated, we're obviously in mourning. We're a very tight-knit club and the Kemp family is a huge part of this club. We'll never get over this, this is just traumatic for us” he said.
The club has said it will everything it can to support the family, and Robinson was with them on Sunday.
“They are obviously very devastated. They will go through their grieving process now. We'll be there to support them all the way, and we'll get through this. It's a pretty resilient little community.”