NPC trophy to honour Lin Colling

The late Lin Colling, Auckland and All Blacks halfback, will be honoured with a rugby trophy.

Colling died of a brain tumour in July 2003, aged 56, and the trophy named after him will be contested for the first time by Otago and Auckland in the NPC match at Carisbrook on Saturday night.

The Otago and Auckland unions said yesterday that the trophy would be at stake in all future NPC round-robin games between the provinces.

Don Colling, a long-serving former Otago centre, said he was delighted for his late brother.

"I'm sure he'd be chuffed to know he was getting a trophy in his name.

"His life was rugby and he put a lot into it."

Don Colling hoped many of the extended Colling family would be present to see the trophy awarded for the first time.

Auckland Rugby Union head David White said the trophy would recognise Colling's service to the game.

He played 68 times for Otago from 1968 to 1973 and was a member of both the Wakatipu and Pirates clubs.

Colling later moved to Auckland, linked with the Ponsonby club and played 35 games for his new province from 1974 to 1976.

He toured Britain and France with the All Blacks in 1972-73 and, though he did not take the field in a test, played 21 times in the black jersey.

Colling later coached Ponsonby and the NZ Colts, became a life member of the Auckland union and was an All Black selector.

- NZPA