Former All Blacks captain Jerry Collins and his wife have been killed in a car crash in France, New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said on Friday.
The couple died in the crash in the early hours of Friday on the A9 motorway in Herault, southern France, according to local media reports.
Collins’ wife, Alana Madill, was also killed, according to the Le Figaro newspaper, while their daughter has been taken to hospital in a serious condition after the collision with a bus.
New Zealand Rugby has tonight expressed its shock and sadness at the death of former All Black Jerry Collins: http://t.co/dglpszVe3v
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) June 5, 2015Our thoughts go out to family and friends of @AllBlacks player Jerry Collins and his wife Alana. pic.twitter.com/H9yQyMI52s
— Qantas Wallabies (@Wallabies) June 5, 2015Terrible news about Jerry Collins & his wife in France. Thoughts are with his family.
— Brian O'Driscoll (@BrianODriscoll) June 5, 2015The 34-year-old, played 48 tests for the All Blacks and captained them three times. He was playing for Narbonne in France’s second division.
Collins was travelling near the town of Beziers in southern France when his car was involved in a collision with a bus at 4.30am local time (3.30am BST).
A New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said: "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been advised of a serious vehicle accident in France in which All Black rugby player Jerry Collins was killed."
A message from the All Blacks official Twitter account read: “We are shocked and saddened by reports about the accident involving Jerry.”
Collins announced his international retirement in 2008 and subsequently joined Top 14 side Toulon before moving to Wales to play for Ospreys. The Samoa-born back-rower went on to spend two years in Japan playing for Yamaha Jubilo before joining French second division side Narbonne in January.
