‘He made people feel good’

Sean Wainui was only at the Crusaders for a couple of years, but left an important and lasting mark in Christchurch.

‘‘Tragic, real tragic. Hard to swallow, man,’’ Crusaders coach Scott Robertson said of the 25-yearold’s death on Monday.

Robertson knew Wainui well, having coached him during New Zealand’s triumph at the 2015 under-20s World Cup in Italy, a campaign the then teenager was ‘‘massive’’ in, and during his final year at the Crusaders.

Wainui was already on the books when Robertson took over the Crusaders from Todd Blackadder in 2017, a year the utility back made just two of his nine appearances for the club.

He was an enormously popular member of the team, and played an instrumental role in embedding the team’s haka – Takina Te Kawa – which he passionately led ahead of the team’s match against the British and Irish Lions.

‘‘He was involved in getting the understanding, with Whetukamokamo Douglas and Bryn Hall, about bringing it alive and understanding the words, the actions and the wairua, what it actually meant,’’ Robertson said.

‘‘When we practised it, he just had a lovely manner and a great way of teaching it. All the boys responded to it. He brought a lot of bicultural understanding for us around the tu¯rangawaewae, and our belonging. A special man, and a special player in his own way.’’

Wainui made his Super Rugby debut alongside Richie Mo’unga against the Chiefs in 2016.

Despite limited opportunities on the park, he’d front at the team’s Rugby Park headquarters with a typically positive and infectious vibe. ‘‘He used to come in and give you a big hongi and a ‘chur bro’,’’ Robertson recalled.

‘‘He had an ability to connect with everyone, to come in every day and be happy and enjoy what he did. He just made people feel good, he was one of those people.

‘‘He just had that nice manner, but also a consummate professional.’’

Wainui got plenty of respect from his Kiwi team-mates during the under-20s World Cup in 2015. When the going got tough on their way to winning the tournament, it was Wainui who stood up and galvanised the squad, Robertson said.

‘‘He would use the phrase ‘te¯nei’ [connect together], tighten the grips, turn your wrists, which Ma¯ori used in the waka when they came across the sea as a sign of batten down when things get tough.

‘‘The Crusaders send our aroha to the Wainui family. Sean, thanks for leaving your mark at our club.’’