Former Highlanders, Mako and Māori All Blacks loose forward Shane Christie has died in Nelson aged 39.
He played eight matches for the Māori All Blacks, 29 matches for the Highlanders and 73 for Tasman, captaining the Mako to the ITM Championship in 2013.
His career ended in 2017, having suffered ongoing concussion problems.
Christie was an advocate for a focus on the damage repeated head injuries can have, helping to set up the Billy Guyton Foundation.
Guyton, a close friend and teammate, was found to have chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in a brain study carried out following his death in 2023. He was the first professional New Zealand-based rugby player confirmed to have the disease.
CTE is a degenerative brain disease that can currently only be diagnosed after death.
Christie told 1News earlier this year he was worried he also had CTE.
Scientists studying the brains of rugby players have made a breakthrough that could potentially allow CTE to be diagnosed in living players. (Source: 1News)
"When your symptoms are really bad for months and months and months, when you're in it, you don't know if you're going to come out."
He said it was something rugby players could be educated on earlier in their career.
"This is what you're setting yourself up for, this is how you can manage it, these are the dangers of concussion."
He had previously pledged to donate his brain to the New Zealand Sports Human Brain Bank.
Tasman Rugby chief executive Steve Mitchell told the Nelson App he was shaken by the news of Christie's death.
"I'm shocked and really sad. My concerns are for his family. I'm gutted."
'A true legend': Teams pay tribute
Tasman Rugby said it was "deeply saddened" by the death of Christie.
"Shane is a true legend of Tasman Rugby. Between 2010 and 2016 he played 73 games for the Mako, captaining the 2013 Championship-winning side and helping to lay the cultural foundations that underpinned the Premiership success to follow.
"After retiring, Shane moved into coaching in 2018, playing a key role in delivering back-to-back Premiership titles in 2019 and 2020. More recently, he continued to give back to the game through the FPC coaching group until 2023.
A proud Tassy man, Shane will be dearly missed by his teammates, colleagues, and the wider rugby whānau."
The Crusaders, who Christie played one game for in 2013, said they were "devastated" by his death.
"Shane gave all of himself to the game he loved and has greatly contributed to the whole Crusaders region, especially Tasman where he played 73 provincial games for the Mako.
"We are thinking of our Tasman family, and all those who knew and loved Shane."
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