Arthur Collins (All Black)
Encyclopedia
Arthur Harold Collins, fullback for the All Blacks
(1932, 1934) and for Taranaki
(1927-1937), was born in Stratford, New Zealand
on 19 July 1906. Weighing in at just 73kg, and only 1.70m in height, Collins made a name for himself playing club rugby for Stratford and Clifton, and in 1927 was selected for the Taranaki Rugby Football
team. He went on to make 81 appearances for Taranaki over the next eleven years, building a reputation as "a reliable last line of defence and an accurate goalkicker".”http://stats.allblacks.com/asp/Profile.asp?ABID=164
By 1932 Collins had caught the attention of the national selectors, making the North Island
side for the North vs South match. He was selected for the All Black team to tour Australia
, first donning the All Black jersey on 15 June in a preparation game against Wellington
. Collins missed selection for the first test match, which was lost 21-17, but took over for the second in Brisbane
on 16 July in which he contributed a penalty goal to New Zealand's 21-3 victory. He went onto play the third test match in Sydney
which New Zealand also won. His overall tour performance was considered "creditable", scoring 54 points in his nine matches and kicking a penalty and two conversions in his two tests.http://stats.allblacks.com/asp/Profile.asp?ABID=164
No test matches were played in 1933, and Collins was again selected in 1934 for the tour to Australia. He played the first test in Sydney where the All Blacks were beaten 25-11. Collins could not play the second test due to injury, but played in the All Blacks vs "Rest of New Zealand" match when the team returned from Australia. This was his last game in the All Black jersey, having in thosetwo years played 15 matches and scored 110 points.
Collins retired from representative rugby football in 1937, and went on to serve as a coach and an administrator for Clifton Club, being honoured with life membership in 1970. A son, Bruce, played seven matches for Taranaki as a forward in 1962-63. Collins died on 11 January 1988, in Waitara
.
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
(1932, 1934) and for Taranaki
Taranaki Province
The Taranaki Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876...
(1927-1937), was born in Stratford, New Zealand
Stratford, New Zealand
Stratford is the only town in the central Taranaki district of Stratford District, New Zealand. It lies beneath the eastern slopes of Mount Taranaki/Egmont, approximately half-way between New Plymouth and Hawera, near the geographic centre of the Taranaki region. The town has a population of...
on 19 July 1906. Weighing in at just 73kg, and only 1.70m in height, Collins made a name for himself playing club rugby for Stratford and Clifton, and in 1927 was selected for the Taranaki Rugby Football
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
team. He went on to make 81 appearances for Taranaki over the next eleven years, building a reputation as "a reliable last line of defence and an accurate goalkicker".”http://stats.allblacks.com/asp/Profile.asp?ABID=164
By 1932 Collins had caught the attention of the national selectors, making the North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
side for the North vs South match. He was selected for the All Black team to tour Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, first donning the All Black jersey on 15 June in a preparation game against Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
. Collins missed selection for the first test match, which was lost 21-17, but took over for the second in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
on 16 July in which he contributed a penalty goal to New Zealand's 21-3 victory. He went onto play the third test match in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
which New Zealand also won. His overall tour performance was considered "creditable", scoring 54 points in his nine matches and kicking a penalty and two conversions in his two tests.http://stats.allblacks.com/asp/Profile.asp?ABID=164
No test matches were played in 1933, and Collins was again selected in 1934 for the tour to Australia. He played the first test in Sydney where the All Blacks were beaten 25-11. Collins could not play the second test due to injury, but played in the All Blacks vs "Rest of New Zealand" match when the team returned from Australia. This was his last game in the All Black jersey, having in thosetwo years played 15 matches and scored 110 points.
Collins retired from representative rugby football in 1937, and went on to serve as a coach and an administrator for Clifton Club, being honoured with life membership in 1970. A son, Bruce, played seven matches for Taranaki as a forward in 1962-63. Collins died on 11 January 1988, in Waitara
Waitara, New Zealand
Waitara is the name of a town and a river in the northern part of the Taranaki Region of the North Island of New Zealand. Waitara is located just off State Highway 3, 15 km northeast of New Plymouth....
.