Remembering the time Jerry Collins played for Barnstaple RFC while on holiday - Page 2 of 3 - Ruck

Remembering the time Jerry Collins played for Barnstaple RFC while on holiday

5. Secret Identity

Collins retired from international rugby in May 2008. Shortly afterwards, he played in a rugby league match in the Wellington Competition, registered under a different name. The team was fined.

6. Barnstaple

In October 2007, following New Zealand’s exit from the 2007 Rugby World Cup, Collins was vacationing in Devon when he was spotted by Barnstaple head coach Kevin Squire who invited him to watch it play at the weekend. Much to the club’s surprise, Collins turned up so they asked if he minded running a coaching session with the junior section.

After doing this Kevin Squire thanked Collins and asked if there was anything they could do to repay him, to which Collins replied he just wanted to play rugby. So the following Saturday Collins turned out for the club’s 2nd XV match against local side Newton Abbot. In a match a few weeks later for the Barbarians he wore the Barnstaple socks

7. French Revolution

After leaving the Hurricanes, Collins played for Toulon during the 2008-09 season, joining Sonny Bill Williams in the club’s aggressive recruitment drive

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