All Blacks star Jerry Collins’ final moments were spent heroically protecting his 10-week-old daughter Ayla during the car crash that killed him and his wife, Alana, in 2015, according to crash investigators.
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Investigators believe that Collins, the New Zealand sports star, used his body to shield Ayla from the impact, sacrificing himself in an attempt to save her life.
Witness reports and the position of his body suggest that Jerry had only seconds to react as the family car collided with a bus. His actions indicate that his primary concern was Ayla’s safety.
The tragic accident occurred in June 2015 in France, where Jerry was playing for the French club Narbonne. It is believed that Jerry was in the back seat next to Ayla, while Alana, who was driving, fell asleep at the wheel.
Thanks to Jerry’s courageous efforts, Ayla survived the crash and was rescued from the wreckage. She spent a month recovering in a Montpellier hospital, undergoing surgery for brain bleeding. She has since been discharged into the care of her Canadian grandparents.
Although medics say Ayla will have ongoing disabilities, her aunt, Nora Madill, described her as a ‘miracle’ to the New Zealand press. “Ayla’s a big baby and a good eater,” Nora told the Dominion Post.
“She’s a really good sleeper at night and she’s a happy baby. She continues to be a little fighter. She truly is a miracle to us.”
Following the crash, French-based former All Blacks Neemia Tialata, Ali Williams, Chris Masoe, Byron Kelleher and Carl Hayman visited the site and paid their respects by performing a roadside haka.
Tialata posted a video of the haka on Twitter.
The 10 hardest rugby players in history:
#10. Eben Etzebeth (South Africa)
Price says: “Etzebeth is another who never took a backward step. He learned so much from watching Botha and they used to say he was ready to fight anyone – including the referee.”
#9. Bakkies Botha (South Africa)
Price says: “In an era when it has been more difficult to ‘assert yourself’ as a hard man because there are so many TV cameras around these days, he was still able to stand out as the Springboks’ enforcer for a decade.”
#8. Jerry Collins (New Zealand)
Price says: “Another modern-day great to make my list. He intimidated with his ferocious tackling and fearsome ball-carrying.
“If you want evidence of just how hard as nails Collins was, just ask Colin Charvis, who was knocked out cold by one of his tackles in a New Zealand v Wales game.”
#7. Wayne Shelford (New Zealand)
Shelford, born on December 13, 1957, is a former New Zealand rugby union player. Renowned for his powerful performances as a number 8, Shelford captained the All Blacks in the late 1980s. He symbolizes the team’s toughness, famously playing on despite losing several teeth in a brutal match.
#6. Fran Cotton (England)
Price says: “A great player, a fierce opponent and wonderful team-mate of mine with the Lions in 1977. If you went into battle, you knew Franny would watch your back.
“We played the three Tests in the front row against New Zealand on that ’77 tour and they had a newspaper called The Truth, which was their equivalent of the News of the World.”