More than 2,000 mourners turned out yesterday in Armagh city for the funeral of Ireland under-19 rugby international Mr John McCall.
He died in South Africa just over a week ago when playing for his country against New Zealand in Durban.
The funeral service took place at the Mall Presbyterian church in Armagh and was conducted by the Rev Colin Harris.
In a eulogy, the dead man's father, Ian, said: "Rugby makes the man and it made John McCall." McCall's fellow pupils sang in the choir and read the scriptures.
The funeral was attended by senior representatives from the Irish Rugby Football Union and a number of sporting organisations including the GAA.
Mr McCall's coffin was taken a short distance for burial, which was private at his family's request.
John McCall (18) had taken the ball at the tail of a lineout in the game against New Zealand and was tackled as he made a pass. However, he did not get up and was taken for treatment to hospital where he was pronounced dead.
A post-mortem, carried out last Monday, confirmed an earlier finding that he suffered heart failure.
The Irish team subsequently withdrew from the under-19 world cup competition.
On St Patrick's Day, John McCall had
captained the Royal School Armagh
rugby team to victory in the schools'
final.