A minute's silence is observed before last night's Napier game between the Highlanders and the Hurricanes, the team Jerry Collins played for 74 times. Photo / Getty Images
A minute's silence is observed before last night's Napier game between the Highlanders and the Hurricanes, the team Jerry Collins played for 74 times. Photo / Getty Images
From his home in Samoa to his clubs in Europe, rugby’s tough man is honoured, writes Patrick McKendry.
The death of Jerry Collins was keenly felt in New Zealand last night - especially in Napier where his former Hurricanes had the difficult task of playing after the news broke.
But it also reverberated in other parts of the world, especially in Samoa, Wales, Australia and France.
Former All Black loose forward Collins, born in the Samoan capital of Apia, was proud to represent New Zealand but also the country of his birth, which is where his father, Frank, and other members of his family learned the tragic news.
Collins' rugby travels took him to Wales, where he played 56 matches for the Ospreys club, and also France, where he played for Toulon and, more recently, Narbonne.
Both Ospreys and Toulon expressed their sadness at the death of Collins and partner Alana in a car crash in France yesterday afternoon. It's understood Toulon would wear black armbands in their TOP 14 semifinal against Stade de Francais.
Collins played 50 matches for the All Blacks, including 48 tests. He also captained the team three times.
In Napier, as the news sank in before the match between the Hurricanes, for whom Collins played 74 times, and the Highlanders, members of both teams paid tribute to the 34-year-old.
Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph, who coached Collins at Wellington said: "It's really horrible, really sad. I guess for me he epitomises the word tough and the game of rugby, and I just really feel for his family."
In a Sky television interview, Hurricanes assistant coach Richard Watt said: "Can I just shout out to Frank Collins and the family, just from the boys. Jerry was one of the toughest guys who ever put this jersey on and we know that. We're going to play in his honour tonight. This is a shout out to his family - we're thinking about you and [you have our] love and prayers."
Jerry Collins played for the Hurricanes. Photo / Getty Images
Before a minute's silence at Napier's McLean Park, observed by both teams wearing black armbands, commentator and former All Blacks halfback Justin Marshall said: "I was there when Jerry made his All Black debut. It's a travesty for the rugby world. He's one of us, he's an All Black and he will be missed, terribly missed; gone too young, as we see the Hurricanes who he played for. "They'll be feeling it as well. It's a sad loss and we certainly offer our deepest sympathies as a rugby community to Jerry and Alana's family and wish them the very best."
Conrad Smith, Victor Vito and Ma'a Nonu, all playing for the Hurricanes, were former teammates of Collins.
Elsewhere, sporting figures in rugby, league and cricket paid tribute to Collins via social media platform twitter. All Black Keven Mealamu said simply, "Don't want to believe it", while former All Black Piri Weepu wrote, "Had the privilege and honour of bleeding with him on the weekends on the field. Words can't express how sad I am, brother".
Former Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll wrote: "Terrible news about Jerry Collins & his wife in France. Thoughts are with his family."
Wallabies first-five Kurtley Beale said: "Very sad news. Notably one of the toughest opponents I had the pleasure of playing against. RIP Jerry Collins."
Collins' death made headlines around the world, not only in France where the story broke in newspaper Le Figaro, but also in Britain's Guardian and Daily Telegraph.
The Telegraph tweeted a link to a 2007 story on the newspaper's website about Collins turning out for a rugby club in Devon called Barnstaple.
Hurricanes fans at McLean park showed their grief, one holding a banner in memory of Collins. Photo / Getty Images
In the story the team's coach, Kevin Squire, recalled how he bumped into Collins in a restaurant in town and invited to play for his team.
"He was very polite and unassuming," Squire told the paper. "We talked for several minutes and I mentioned the club and invited him to come down and watch a game, but of course never expected him to turn up. He did though, and even coached a session with the under-14 side, who were completely awe-struck.
"I told him we had a match coming up and he was welcome to join us, but again I was gobsmacked when he showed up to catch the bus with the rest of the players.
"It was very surreal for the lads as they are all amateurs - most of them are builders, bricklayers, plumbers and so on. He had even been to a sports store to buy a pair of boots.
"He didn't crunch into [the opposition] like he could have done; they would have gone flying. He adapted his level of play to suit the game just like a proper gentleman."
On an emotional night in Napier, Collins' old team dismantled the Highlanders 56-20.
