Teen player dies after rugby game

The 19-year-old Wellington player who died after a weekend match was known as ‘‘Dan, the man with the plan’’.

Daniel Baldwin, a Wellington Football Club member, had been in an induced coma after having brain surgery at Wellington Hospital foll1o3w. ing a rugby field incident on May

Yesterday morning, his family issued a statement describing him as a ‘‘young man with an enormous zest for life, who had his future mapped out’’.

His father, Len, said he would be remembered as a ‘‘larger than life young man, with a strong moral compass, who embraced life in everything he did’’. ‘‘To all of us he was always ‘Dan, the man with the plan’. He even called himself that.’’

The Victoria University student, who was studying psychology, statistics and criminology, loved dogs and planned to be a police dog handler.

‘‘He wasn’t the star on the rugby field, but he was the good, hardworking, committed, loyal team player. He loved the game.’’

Baldwin was described as an active sportsman, with involvement in rugby, skiing, and with a black belt in karate and a man who ‘‘was always challenging himself to be the best he could’’.

Wellington Rugby earlier this week Baldwin was removed from the field late in the match after teammates noticed he was displaying worrying symptoms during a stCohpipeafgeexiencuptliavye. Steve Rogers said no single incident had been identified as the cause of the injury but ‘‘witnesses have reported the player was involved in a collision during the first half of the match’’.

There were no allegations of foul play’’, he said.

New Zealand Rugby general manager of rugby, Neil Sorensen, said their ‘‘thoughts and hearts are with Daniel’s family, friends, team mates and with the Wellington rugby community who will all be shattered by this news’’.

‘‘Nineteen-year-old kids aren’t supposed to die playing sport, it’s distressing and so terribly sad,’’ Sorensen said.

‘‘The immediate focus is ensuring Daniel’s family and his mates are fully supported.‘‘