Samoa mourns a ‘beloved hero'

Jerry Collins’ passing away is not just a loss for New Zealand; it is a massive loss for Samoa.

As such the country is in mourning.

That’s the gist of condolence messages from around the country yesterday as the community began to deal with the shock news of Collins’ death in France.

The former All Black loose forward died instantly when the car and a bus collided on a motorway near Beziers in the Languedoc region of southern France.

His partner Alana Madill was also killed while their three-month old baby is fighting for her life.

Tributes for the “beloved son of Samoa” came thick and fast.

Among them was one from Fuimaono Eliota-Sapolu who hailed him as an “All Black legend and a son of Samoa".

“Jerry was very proud of playing for the All Blacks but he also had huge alofa for Samoa too,” Fuimaono- Sapolu posted on social media.

“Last time I spoke with Jerry he asked me to fight to change Rugby's eligibility rules because he wanted to play for Manu Samoa and give back. Rest in alofa uso. Manuia lau malaga".

In Samoa, the news of his passing spread quickly. At Leufisa where Collins spent a lot of his time when he is in Samoa, his family could not believe it.

“We had just finished our evening prayer when we turned on the television and that was the first thing on the bulletin,” said Jerry’s aunty, Julia Collins.

Julia and Mary Collins said the family is in shock.

“The sad thing about his death - he was too young,” said Julia. “Not only that, he has died so far away from his family. I still cannot believe that he’s gone".

Born in Moto’otua and raised in Leufisa, Jerry is the second eldest of four children.

He is the only son to Galuia and Tautaiolefue To’omata David Collins of Leufisa and Falelatai.

According to Julia, his mother was in the country with two of his sisters to attend a wedding this weekend. His father is in New Zealand with his other sister.

In remembering Jerry, Julia said he left Samoa with his parents before he turned two years old.

“Since then, his heart has always been close to home where he grew up,” she said in tears. “All our children are close and Jerry had always come back home before he returns to his contract".

Jerry was due to visit Samoa this month with his family to head to Pago Pago for a family wedding.

“He had planned to bring his daughter to where he grew up,” said Julia. “All our children were looking forward to those gatherings but it’s unfortunately that we won’t be celebrating. Instead we will be attending two funerals".

The aunty also spoke of how Collins tried his best to speak in his mother language.

“He wasn’t fluent (in Samoan) but that didn’t mean he won’t speak Samoan, he still did,” recalled Julia. “You hardly hear Jerry speak English when he is here. He will only speak English if he doesn’t know a Samoan word for something".

The last time Jerry was in Samoa was November last year. He was attending a family funeral with his wife Alana Madill, who was pregnant with their daughter at the time.

“He stayed up all night digging the grave,” said Mary. “It was raining heavily but Jerry insisted that he helps with the grave".

“And we didn’t know he was coming.

He just turned up unannounced. But that is the kind of person that he was, he didn’t want people to make a big fuss and make preparations for his arrival". Jerry’s family in Leufisa said he is dearly missed and will always be remembered for his love for his country.

In New Zealand, Collins' longstanding Manager, Tim Castle, spoke to the media on behalf of his family.

"They would not mind me saying that, just as Jerry's family is so devastated, they are likewise, deeply traumatised by these events,” he said.

"They too, like Jerry's family and all of us, are focussing on the continuing care for little Ayla, and our prayers and hopes are for her recovery at this time".

Some of Collins' family, including his mother and two sisters, were in Samoa yesterday for a close family friend's wedding when the news of his death emerged, Castle said.

However, they are all flying back to Wellington in the next 24 hours to be together, he said.

"The arrangements going forward for Jerry's return to New Zealand and for such funeral arrangements as the family wish to make are very tentative and very unspecific at this time," Castle said. "We will give you updates just as soon as those arrangements are finalised".

Paying tribute to Collins, he said:

"Jerry was a legend, not just here, in the great game, the great oval ball game. He was much loved all over the world, and the tributes are flowing ... throughout the world by so many people who played with or against Jerry".

He added: "I've looked after Jerry for a long time, and he is a friend, and like everybody this is a very difficult time [for me]".

Born in Apia, Samoa in November 1980, 34-year-old loose forward Jerry Collins played for the Norths club in Wellington before making his provincial debut for Wellington in 1999, his Super Rugby debut with the Hurricanes in 2001 and his All Blacks debut later that year.

In a lengthy professional career, he played 74 games for the Hurricanes and 50 matches for the All Blacks, including 48 Tests. His All Blacks career was highlighted when given the captaincy for a Test against Argentina in 2006. After leaving New Zealand in 2008, his rugby career took him to Japan and France, and had signed with the Narbonne club this year.

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