Jerry Collins: A generous, gentle soul who lived for rugby
You will already be familiar with the tragedy which my husband and I - and the sporting world - woke up to on June 5th 2015. The All Blacks and Ospreys legend - and Lee’s dear friend - Jerry Collins had been killed in an horrific car crash in France overnight, along with his partner Alana Madill. Their baby daughter, Ayla, was in a critical condition in hospital. It was hard to believe it could be real.
Lee met Jerry when the larger-than-life Samoan flanker came to play with him at the Ospreys. An instant friendship was formed between the two of them. A brotherly bond, if you like. Two rugby men with more in common than you would imagine - one being from a small nation in the UK and the other from a small island on the other side of the world.
He left an impression on Lee and on Wales which will not be easily matched by any other. But then that was Jerry. He did that everywhere he went, with everyone he met.
When he wasn’t sharing time and banter with his Ospreys teammates, he would stroll into small rugby clubs in south Wales keen to share a chat and a drink with the locals. Once, so the story goes, he walked into one bar hoping to watch the Six Nations with them on TV. He saw they were settling down for the game in front of a small box of a telly and he soon disappeared. But before long he was back, armed with a new plasma screen from the supermarket, which was promptly fixed to the wall. It must still be there to this day.
Jerry lived for rugby. He cared not for the fame and fortune, but for the friendship and the participation. That was clear when he infamously volunteered to play in the second XV for Barnstaple RFC when he was taking a break in North Devon. He paid his fiver on the bus like any other player that day. He just wanted a game. And to prove how grateful he was for the chance to pull on his boots and get a run out, he even honoured the club by wearing their socks a few weeks later playing for the Barbarians.
Once encountered, never forgotten. Although an unrelenting attacking force on the field (there was a reason he was called the Terminator), he had the most generous and gentle spirit off it. Jerry was the kind of player that took the time to write back to the kid who sent him a letter telling him he was his hero. And in the face of adversity in his life, Jerry was the kind of man who would remember who had helped him and always show his gratitude.
I will always be incredibly grateful to him that he travelled all the way from Japan for our wedding and went out of his way to help ensure it was an unforgettable day. And since his passing, I have been overwhelmed with emotion by reading messages from those that met him just for those few hours. It was easy to see how his infectious smile, his big love, and his zest for life touched people and guaranteed him a place in their memories and in their hearts.
To borrow the sentiments of his close friend and manager Tim Castle, Jerry seemed to be gifted in life with the ability to form friendships and connections across continents and across generations. That is evident in the thousands that turned out to honour him in death.
Rest In Peace, Jerry. You will be missed.