Hamilton Marist rugby player Geoff Toni died during game surrounded by mates

Player Geoff Toni has died in the middle of a match. Photo / File

A Waikato rugby player has died in the middle of a match surrounded by his teammates.

Geoff Toni was playing in the Presidents grade for the Hamilton Marist club against the Leamington club in Cambridge last night.

"This is a big shock to all of us and we're very saddened by this," Marist club president Mike Honiss told Fairfax Media.

"He was a valued member of our community and had been playing for Marist for two to three seasons for the Presidents group."

Geoff Toni had been playing for the Presidents Grade in the Waikato for more than a decade and Marist rugby players for will wear black armbands in his honour in matches played today.

John Hoyle, the referee for the game, posted a tribute on the Waikato Rugby Facebook page.

He said it was an "incredibly sad night".

"A player passed away on the field playing the game he loved surrounded by his mates," he wrote.

"My saddest moment as a referee blowing full time for a player."

The death of Toni comes a few weeks after 19-year-old Daniel Baldwin died a few days after suffering a head injury in an age-grade game for the Wellington Rugby Football Club.