It has been nine months since Jerry Collins passed away and, for many, the grief is still raw.
The All Blacks legend lost his life in tragic circumstances, last June, when his car was involved in a bad crash in the south of France. Collins’ partner Alana Madill was also killed in the accident.
Crash investigators believe Collins lept across his seat, in the back of the vehicle, to protect his four-month old daughter Ayla, who survived the tragic collision with a bus.
During his hard-hitting rugby career, Collins put his home town of Poirirua on the map with a series of stunning performances.
He was capped 48 times for his country, helped in Lions Series, Tri Nations and Bledisloe Cup success, and appeared in two World Cups. He left New Zealand in 2008 and graced the Top 14, PRO12 and Japan’s Top League before signing up with Narbonne.
Now, as a way of marking Collins’ life, and passing, Poirirua will pay a fitting tribute to him.
On Friday, the main stand at Poirirua Park Stadium will be officially named after Collins. It is a gesture both small and grand and one that is greatly appreciated by the Collins family. Mayor of Poirirua, Nick Leggett told Stuff:
“Jerry was a favourite son of Porirua and I think that we wanted to honour him in an appropriate way for his memory and for his family. It made sense to name the grandstand at his home ground park after him.
“We saw a massive overflow of love and respect for him after his passing last year, when thousands of people marched down Warspite Ave. We all knew then the city would want an appropriate remembrance to honour him and his service.”
Members of Collins’ family will be in attendance at the event, as well as a number of All Blacks, past and present.
