Daughter of All Blacks legend Jerry Collins signs first PWR contract

Jerry Collins’ 18-year-old daughter Honey Kerslake has signed her first senior contract with JAECOO Premiership Women’s Rugby club Exeter Chiefs.

In 2015, while playing for French club Narbonne, Collins was tragically killed in a car crash. He won 48 caps for the All Blacks and played at two Rugby World Cups.

“His inspiration has been one of my biggest driving factors to play rugby,” Kerslake told Six Nations Rugby in April.

“My family in New Zealand still tell stories of everything that he brought to his community, on and off the pitch.”

Kerslake, who grew up in North Devon, has begun to forge her own reputation as a combative, hardworking and well-rounded back-row forward. This year the teen captained England Under-18 and also made her England Under-21 debut.

The forward began playing rugby aged 10 at Ilfracombe RFC before she moved to Crediton to play her Under-15 rugby.

She has just left Exeter College after completing her A-Levels and will join Chiefs for their preseason this summer. Last year Kerslake was a member of the Exeter College team that won the ACE Girls League at Allianz Stadium.

Oli Bishop, Exeter Chiefs assistant coach, said: “Honey is clearly an exceptional player who had benefited from our pathway system at Exeter College. She was also part of our U23s squad and she has already trained with us this season, so we have been keeping a close eye on her.

“The England age-group teams have clearly seen her potential too. Honey was the only player to be called up from the U18s to the U21s this year, which is significant at this age. We look forward to watching her develop in the Exeter Chiefs environment and supporting her first steps as a professional rugby player.”

Kerslake said: “I’m excited and grateful to start this new chapter with Chiefs to challenge myself and grow as a player.”