MICHAEL COLLINS
SPOTLIGHT ON
Age 28 (3 June 1993)
Born Queenstown, NZ
Position Centre
Region Ospreys
Height 6ft 1in
Weight 15st 8lb
Twitter @CollinsMycool
A SPELL AT Scarlets five years ago helped Michael Collins earn his first Super Rugby deal. Now, after stints with the Blues and Highlanders, the Kiwi is back in Wales and hoping to help the Ospreys challenge for trophies again. This is the centre’s story…
I was brought up in the rugby environment, in the changing sheds and watching games. My dad played, my I grew up there before it got touristy. It was small enough that it had the town feel. I don’t think I realised how lucky I was growing up there. It was hard leaving home, leaving my comfort zone, but I loved it at Otago Boys’ High School. I wanted to progress in sport and getting into those cities is better for that, rugby probably is a bit stronger in the cities. Mum and Dad had also been driving three hours to rep games each week, so it took stress off them. Those teams send scouts to rep games and they flew me over, not as a trial but more to look at facilities and see if I’d be interested – they had an U20 programme. I’d always wanted to be a rugby player, I’d never grown up with league and I’d no idea how I’d go.
