Former Bay of Plenty Steamers captain Mark Weedon has died aged 53

Mark Weedon leaves the rugby field a winner after beating Hawke's Bay in 2002. Photo / File

Former Bay of Plenty Steamers captain Mark Weedon has died.

Weedon retired from rugby in 2002 after nearly two decades of top-level rugby both in New Zealand and overseas.

Weedon worked at Pāpāmoa College as a relief teacher over the past two years, the school said on its Facebook page.

"It is with sadness that we inform you that Mr Mark Weedon passed away [on] Saturday 7 August," they said.

"As a very good teacher, Mark always made great connections with his students and wanted the best for their learning and to meet their development needs.

"We will all miss him dearly at Pāpāmoa College."

Mark Weedon played for nearly two decades. Photo / File

Skulls Wasps, a Facebook page for supporters of Wasps Rugby Union in England, said Weedon had recently celebrated his 53rd birthday.

Pāpāmoa Rugby Club said Weedon was a valued and loved member of their club.

"He was always the first to help out with marking lines, putting up goal posts, coaching, managing, finding players for teams, getting kids to trainings and home again, stock takes and he was our chief greeter and herder at Registrations," they said on Facebook.

"There are no words to express our grief, and we are sending so much love and strength to Mark's Wife and Sons, family and friends. We will miss you, Mark."

The second-rower debuted for the Bay in 1986 as a schoolboy at 18 years old and later captained the club in 2001 and 2002.

In his debut, Weedon matched up against former All Blacks captain Andy Haden.

Weedon played for the Chiefs and Crusaders in Super Rugby and also captained the Coventry-based Wasps to a major knockout trophy win.

Mark Weedon (front left) celebrates with teammates in 2002. Photo / File

Weedon also played for the New Zealand Colts, won a couple of Gallaher Shield finals with Auckland club Ponsonby and played for Auckland and Wellington Bs.

Katikati Rugby & Sports Club said Weedon was "one of its most prominent" players, meanwhile, Tauranga Sports Rugby Club said he was "a greatly respected player and person."

Weedon also played for Waikite Rugby Club in Rotorua who said Weedon "certainly added size, strength and experience to our pack during our championship run in the early 2000s."

In October 2002, before he retired, the then 32-year-old told the Herald Olo Brown was the player who made the biggest impression on him during his 16-year career.

"Olo Brown was the player I really admired," he said of the former All Black prop, who was his Ponsonby team-mate.

"He just put his head down and did so much work - a very, very talented person and an intelligent person as well.

"He actually had a lot of flair — he could have been a great sevens player. But he just got on and did all the hard work on the field."