Former professional rugby union player Norman Hadley of Canada has died. He was 51.

Rugby Canada said in a statement on Saturday that Hadley, nicknamed Stormin' Norm, had died earlier this week from an apparent heart attack suffered in a hotel room in Japan.

The Winnipeg native earned 15 caps for Canada between 1987 and 1994.

"He was a mountain of a man and a legend of the game, known throughout the rugby world for his sheer size and toughness," former Canadian captain Al Charron said in the statement.

Hadley was the captain for the Canadian national team five times from 1992-93, and suited up for Canada during its quarter-final finish at the 1991 Rugby World Cup.

He also played for the English Premiership League's London Wasps and the RFU Championship League's Bedford Blues in the 1990s.