A former Royal Marine who served in the Falkland Islands Conflict 30 years ago, Mr Wilson turned to coaching and management when his playing days ended.

Exeter asked Wilson to be colts manager in 1990 and within two years he was the club secretary.
When Exeter turned semi-professional they needed a chief executive, a role Wilson filled between 1996-1998.

After Wilson left Exeter he became involved with Sidmouth, the nearest club at the time to his then home in Ottery St Mary. He was reappointed director of rugby this season.

Wilson’s talents were quickly spotted by Devon, who got him involved in team management. Wilson was part of the back-room team that took Devon to Twickenham in 2000 for their first County Championship final in almost 40 years.

“He brought forces’ discipline with him, but didn’t impose it on others. He knew how to get on with people and how to get the job done.

“The finest tribute I can pay is to say Tug represented all that is good about rugby.

“He was known to many throughout Devon rugby, and I doubt anyone has ever had a bad word to say about him.

“Players, officials and supporters all over Devon will miss him, not just those at Sidmouth.”
Over the 10 years after that Twickenham trip, Wilson coached or managed Devon, Devon U20s and Sidmouth – often all three at once!

Last season he took a step back from county commitments due to personal reasons, but remained rugby director at Sidmouth, a post he still had at the time of his death.

From 200-2002 he was a member of the management board and the playing sub-committee.
Devon president Maxwell Turner, who worked with Wilson when both first became involved in the playing side of county rugby, said his friend was a gentleman of rugby who would be sorely missed.
He added: “Tug had a driving enthusiasm for the game and everything associated with it.
“He was a stickler for getting the detail right, which I thought was a legacy of his time in the armed forces.

“The last time I saw Tug was just before Christmas when I took a Devon President’s U16 XV to Sidmouth for the 40th anniversary of the youth section.

“He was on fine form, enjoying himself immensely in the company of other rugby folk, and that is how I will remember him.”

John Lockyer, an old Exeter friend and colleague of Wilson’s, said they first met on the rugby field almost 40 years ago.

“I was captain of Exeter at the time and we were on tour in Germany, where we played the British Army of the Rhine and Tug was playing at prop for them,” said Lockyer.

“When he came back to this country he played for Devonport Services, but got involved with Exeter when he moved to Ottery near the end of his time in the Armed Forces.

“I sat in many meetings with Tug and soon realised he was a real stalwart of the game. Not only was he always the first to volunteer for a job, he always had the sharpest pencil and shiniest shoes.”
Tavistock secretary Jeff Lawson said: “Tug was a real rugby man, a real character and a thoroughly good egg.”