FORMER Northland representative Torran Thomas died after collapsing during rugby league training in Perth.
Thomas passed away at Princess Margaret Hospital on Friday morning after he collapsed while training with the West Coast Pirates Under-15s NRL Development Squad at Curtin Stadium in Bentley last Monday.
Torrans uncle Pete Thomas, from Whangarei, remembered his nephew as a handsome, 15-year-old, 6-foot-4-inch giant.
He had an infectious personality, full of humour and wit and loved by all, Thomas told Fairfax NZ.
Torran, his mother Kaye, father Robert and sister Giah, originally from Dargaville moved to Perth from New Zealand back in 2012.
The cause of Torrans death is yet been determined and is being examined by the coroner.
It is is still unknown if heat played a role as the temperature in Perth on Monday reached 44.4C the third hottest January day on record.
The mercury had dropped to about 34C around the time Torran was training.
Torran was just about to fly with his teammates to an annual tournament in Sydney with the Pirates renaming the trip Torrans Tour in his honour.
At an emotional breakfast on Monday morning the team presented Torrans jersey and retired his number.
Torran wore the number 25, also known as the big boys jersey, Thomas said.
The number 25 will now forever be known as Torrans number, he added.
