It was to be his final message.

Mr Robinson, 21, flew out of Australia with good friend and former Dubbo Rhinos team-mate Tim Barrett last Thursday for a three-week trip to Europe.

They were planning to visit London, Amsterdam and Spain before visiting Dan’s brother and former NSW Waratah Beau Robinson, who has been playing rugby union for Benevento Gladiators in Italy.

On Saturday evening the pair headed out in London but after becoming separated Mr Robinson was killed while crossing electrified train lines on foot.

He is survived by his father Larry, mother Chris, brother Beau, and step-sister Kylie.

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Yesterday, Mrs Robinson described how her son always put others before himself.

“It was never about Dan. It was always about other people’s needs,” Mrs Robinson said. “He was a real people person, a real family person.

“He was good with people of all ages and had a rapport with older people as much as he did with young kids.

“When he was home it wasn’t just about meeting with his mates, he’d follow up with the adults. He had an amazing network. The parents of all his mates all loved him and they will be just as devastated.”

Dan Robinson had a short yet highly decorated sporting career.

As a boy at Orana Heights Primary School his parents were constantly driving him throughout the State to play for representative teams in rugby union, rugby league and soccer.

He attended St John’s College for three years and played soccer for SASS, rugby union for the Dubbo Rhinos and rugby league for St John’s, with whom he was named Player of the Under-15s Grand Final in 2003.

In 2004 he joined his brother Beau at St Stanislaus College as a Year 10 student. That same year the pair travelled with ‘Stannies’ to Japan for a rugby tournament in which Beau, in Year 12 at the time, was captain of the team and Dan its youngest player.

In Year 11 Dan captained the Stannies first XV but in Year 12 his season was interrupted by injury.

In 2007 Dan spent a year playing rugby union in Canberra and represented Australia in under-19s.

He then spent the past two seasons playing for the Gordon Highlanders in Sydney and in 2009 was the captain of the second grade side which played in the grand final at the Sydney Football Stadium.

He made his first grade debut and played several games throughout the 2009 season, but was again hampered by injury.

In 2008, Beau was a regular player as a flanker for the NSW Waratahs and many believed Dan, a halfback, wasn’t too far off himself.

Dan was also succeeding off the field. Last year he was appointed Gordon’s rugby operations manager and was fast-tracking towards a career in sports management.

All the while he lived, laughed and shared with his older brother and Warringah Rats opponent, Beau.

“They were good mates,” Mr Robinson said.

“They lived together in Sydney and socialised together, they had the same group of friends,” Mrs Robinson added. “Dan travelled over with Tim and was going to be back in three weeks for the start of the rugby season.

“Tim tells us from the photos he was shown that Dan had a smile on his face. It gives you a lot of strength to know he wasn’t running from someone and life was good right to the last.”

While the funeral date has not yet been set, the family has confirmed Dan’s body will be returned to Australia and a service will be held at St Brigid’s Catholic Church in Dubbo.

Mrs Robinson said St Stanislaus College would be helping to arrange the funeral.

“Both Beau and Dan were held in high regard at Stannies and we appreciate everything the school has done for them,” she said.