Rugby: Collins chooses to stay up north

Northland rugby flanker Justin Collins will stay with the province for next season's NPC, rejecting attractive offers from Waikato and Canterbury.

Collins, an outstanding loose forward, has re-signed with Northland, saying the ties to his home province swayed him against moving.

"When it came down to it I didn't really want to leave anyway, but the offers from Waikato and Canterbury were pretty good," Collins said.

"I have signed until the end of the season and I'll assess just where my rugby future lies from there. But for the moment I am just happy to be back in with the Northland boys for another year."

Collins, a Super 12 player for the Blues last year and previously for the Chiefs, has a New Zealand Rugby Football Union contract which expires at the end of the 2000 season.

Northland coach Bryce Woodward said Collins' signature was a big relief as his talents would have been almost impossible to replace.

"At NPC level at least Collins is just outstanding and right up there for his playing ability, fitness, application and professionalism with any All Black," Woodward said.

Collins joins Northland captain and former All Black Glenn Taylor and blockbusting centre Norman Berryman as key players confirmed as staying with the union.

However, Woodward was still anxious about areas of his squad for the 2000 season. Prop Nick White has gone to Auckland and it is doubtful if South African halfback Joggie Viljoen will return.

Meanwhile, New Zealand have been seeded top for next month's Dubai rugby sevens tournament, causing some consternation to Fiji, the defending champions.

"I'm quite surprised we're ranked second but it was the same case last year and we still managed to win the event," Fijian team manager Jone Buakula said.

Fiji beat New Zealand 29-22 in last year's final of the Emirates-sponsored event which this year doubles as the opening round of the new World rugby sevens series circuit.

New Zealand and Fiji are on opposite sides of the draw and likely to cross paths in the final for the third consecutive year. New Zealand open their campaign against Tonga and will also face South Africa and Hong Kong in the group stage.

They last won the tournament in 1997, beating Fiji 24-21 in the final.

Groups: W: New Zealand, South Africa, Tonga, Hong Kong; X: Fiji, France, Zimbabwe, Kenya; Y: Australia, Canada, United States, Georgia; Z: Manu Samoa, Scotland, Japan, Morocco.

- NZPA