Former All Black Jerry Collins and his wife Alana Madill have died in a car crash in France, with their daughter in a critical condition in hospital. Reports in France say a bus was in collision with the couple's car in the early hours of Friday.
Collins, 34, made his debut for New Zealand in 2001 and won 48 caps. The ex-Ospreys flanker had been playing for French side Narbonne. The All Blacks said on Twitter.they are "shocked and saddened" by the news. The tough-tackling blind-side flanker was described as the "Jonah Lomu of the forwards" by World Cup-winning England scrum-half Matt Dawson.
Former All Blacks captain Sean Fitzpatrick said Collins "epitomised everything an All Black should be".
Collins started his career at Wellington in the National Provincial Championship and also played for the city's Super Rugby outfit Hurricanes.
Renowned for his bleach-blonde hair and ferocious tackling, he made his All Blacks debut against Argentina in Christchurch in 2001.
He also captained them three times and played for New Zealand at the 2003 and 2007 World Cups.
His last match for the All Blacks was the 2007 World Cup quarter-final loss to France in Cardiff.
Later that year, Collins famously turned out for Barnstaple's second XV against Newton Abbot while on holiday in Devon.
He announced his international retirement in 2008 and went on to join French Top 14 side Toulon before moving to Wales to play for Ospreys in 2009.
Collins (far right) poses with Mils Muliaina (left) and Isaia Toeava (centre) after New Zealand's 2007 Bledisloe Cup win
No comments:
Post a Comment