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'In walks this really big guy... dude, that's Jerry Collins'
American Eagles winger Ryan Matyas has recalled how a chance meeting in a clubhouse in Wales lead to an unlikely friendship with the late All Blacks legend Jerry Collins.
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Collins tragically died in a car crash in 2015 in France, but not before the back-rower left an indelible mark on the game. The Samoan-born Kiwi was known as a ferocious player on the pitch, but a gentleman off it, whose huge heart and lovable nature impacted even more people off the field than on it.
Speaking in an interview in a new RugbyPass documentary – Where Eagles Dream – Matyas tells how he bumped into the All Blacks superstar in Wales back in 2011, as a young man aspiring to play professional rugby.
“It’s started back in 2011. I graduated high school and I moved to the UK and I was playing for the Tondu Rugby Club which is in Aberkenfig in Wales. I was sitting at the club and in walks this really big guy. He’s wearing a beanie and you could just tell, this was a big dude.
“A guy who became a really good friend of mine was sitting next to me and goes ‘Dude, that’s Jerry Collins.” I was like ‘No way, I had a poster of that guy in my room when I was growing up as a kid.
“He comes back inside and my buddy goes ‘Hey, JC. I want to introduce you to somebody.’ He of course comes over, he’s super nice, and [my friend] goes ‘What up’s, this is Ryan from the US.’
“I’m like ‘Hey man, nice to meet you’ and he’s like ‘whats up’.
Matyas explained to 48-cap New Zealand great that he was from the United States and playing rugby in Wales in the hope of one day returning to America to play for the Eagles.
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“As the night goes on and shakes out, a bunch of guys are heading into town, and I was like ‘See you guys later.
“He’s like ‘Hey, uso, you gonna come?’ I was like ‘Nah, I was just gonna stay’ and he’s like ‘Nah. You’re coming’ and I’m like ‘Ah, okay’. And that pretty much kicked it off.’
Collins, who was playing for the Ospreys in the then PRO12 at the time, took the young American under his wing.
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“I moved over to the UK just to play rugby and I had my only little training schedule. And this was a Sunday and he was ‘What you up to?’ and then said ‘Be outside in 30 minutes’.
“I would like just hang out with him on Wednesdays and Sundays, because they were our off days.”
Matyas would also bear witness to Collins’ famous generosity.
“One time we were leaving a restaurant and there was a homeless guy on the ground with no shoes and Jerry literally takes off his shirt, takes off his socks, takes off his shoes, takes off his beanie, opens up his wallet, hands him a wad of cash and his jacket and everything.
“I’d never seen that before. I’d seen someone gives a homeless person five bucks, I’d seen someone buy someone a meal, but not literally the shirt off their back.”
Matyas ultimately travelled to New Zealand to play for North Harbour, and he was there when the news of Collins’ untimely death hit the country in 2015.
“It was tough. The day that he passed away, the country was pretty silent, it was pretty quiet because Jerry was such a larger-than-life figure for the people that knew about him and cared about him.
“There was a lot of people that he did a lot for in their lives.”
Collins predicted that Matyas would one day play for the US Eagles and face the mighty All Blacks.
“He’d say, you’ll get there man, you’ll play for the Eagles, you’ll get to play against the All Blacks.”
And play against All Blacks for the Eagles was something Matyas would indeed achieve in 2021, even scoring a memorable try in their corner against the southern hemisphere heavyweights.
“It’s a very special occasion. Even more so with my connection from living in New Zealand and with Jerry.”
The documentary on America’s recent game with the All Blacks – ‘Where Eagles Dream’ – is coming soon to RugbyPass…
Comments on RugbyPass
It’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
2 Go to commentsCale certainly looks great in space, but as you say, he has struggled in contact. At 23 years old, turning 24 this year, he should be close to full physical maturity and yet there exists a considerable gap in the power and physicality required for international rugby. Weight doesn’t automatically equate to power and physicality either. Can he go from a player who’s being physically dominated in Super rugby to physically dominating in international rugby in 1 or 2 years? That’s a big ask but he may end up being a late bloomer.
24 Go to commentsIf rugby wants to remain interesting in the AI era then it will need to work on changing the rules. AI will reduce the tactical advantage of smart game plans, will neutralize primary attacking weapons, and will move rugby from a being a game of inches to a game of millimetres. It will be about sheer athleticism and technique,about avoiding mistakes, and about referees. Many fans will find that boring. The answer is to add creative degrees of freedom to the game. The 50-22 is an example. But we can have fun inventing others, like the right to add more players for X minutes per game, or the equivalent of the 2-point conversion in American football, the ability to call a 12-player scrum, etc. Not saying these are great ideas, but making the point that the more of these alternatives you allow, the less AI will be able to lock down high-probability strategies. This is not because AI does not have the compute power, but because it has more choices and has less data, or less-specific data. That will take time and debate, but big, positive and immediate impact could be in the area of ref/TMO assistance. The technology is easily good enough today to detect forward passes, not-straight lineouts, offside at breakdown/scrum/lineout, obstruction, early/late tackles, and a lot of other things. WR should be ultra aggressive in doing this, as it will really help in an area in which the game is really struggling. In the long run there needs to be substantial creativity applied to the rules. Without that AI (along with all of the pro innovations) will turn rugby into a bash fest.
24 Go to commentsSouth Africa rarely play Ireland and France on these tours. Mostly, England, Scotland and Wales. I wonder why
1 Go to commentsIt was a let’s-see-what-you're-made-of type of a game. The Bulls do look good when the opposition allows them to, but Munster shut them down, and they could not find a way through. Jake should be very worried about their chances in the competition.
2 Go to commentsHats off to Fabian for a very impressive journey to date. Is it as ‘uniquely unlikely’ as Rugby Pass suggests, given Anton Segner’s journey at the Blues?
1 Go to commentsSad that this was not confirmed. When administrators talk about expanding the game they evidently don’t include pathways to the top tier of rugby for teams outside of the old boys club. Rugby deserves better, and certainly Georgia does.
2 Go to commentsLions might take him on if they move on Van Rooyen but I doubt he will want to go back, might consider it a step backwards for himself. Sharks would take him on but if Plumtree goes on to win the challenge cup they will keep him on. Also sharks showing some promising signs recently. Stormers and Bulls are stable and Springboks are already filled up. Quality coach though, interesting to see where he ends up
1 Go to commentsAnd the person responsible for creating a culture of accountability is?
3 Go to commentsMore useless words from Ben Smith -Please get another team to write about. SA really dont need your input, it suck anyway.
264 Go to commentsThis disgraceful episode must result in management and coach team sackings. A new manager with worse results than previous and the coaching staff need to coached. Awful massacre led by donkeys.
1 Go to commentsInteresting article with one glaring mistake. This sentence: “And between the top four nations right now, Ireland, France, South Africa, and New Zealand…” should read: And between the top four nations right now, South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand and France…”. Get it right wistful thinkers, its not that hard.
24 Go to commentsHow did Penny get the gig anyway?
3 Go to commentsNice write up Nick and I would have agreed a week ago. However as you would know Cale & co got absolutely monstered by the Blues back row of Sotutu, Ioane and Papaliti and not all of these 3 are guaranteed a start in the Black jumper. He may need to put some kgs before stepping up, Spring tour? After the week end Joe will be a bit more restless. Will need to pick a mobile tough pack for Wales and hope England does the right thing and bashes the ABs. I like your last paragraph but I would bring Swinton, Hannigan into the 6 role and Bobby V to 8
24 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can still get in to the Play Off’s. The imminent return of outstanding captain Scott Barrett and his All Black team mate Codie Taylor will be a big boost.There are others like Tamaiti Williams too. Two home games coming up. Fellow Crusader fans get there and support these guys. I will be.
1 Go to commentsCant get more Wellington than Proctor.
2 Go to commentsWhy not let the media decide. Like how they choose the head coach. Like most of us we entrust the rugby system to choose. A rugby team includes the coaches. It's collective.
14 Go to commentsHi NIck, I have been very impressed with him and he seems a smart player who can see opportunities which Bobby V _(who must be an international 6_) doesn’t see or have the speed to take advantage of. If he continues to improve and puts on 5kgs then he could be a great 8. He is a bit taller than Keiran Reid at 1.93m and 111 kgs, so his skill set fits his body size and who knows where it will lead. I hope the spate of Achilles tendon issues have been dealt with by the S&C people. It’s been a very long time since Mark Loane and Kefu stood out at 8. The question is will we be able to hold onto him, if he does make it he will be pretty hot property. I disagree with the idea of letting them go to the Northern Hemisphere and then bring them back.
24 Go to commentsBilly Fulton 🤣🤣🤣🤣 garrrmon not even close
14 Go to commentsDoes the AI take into account refs? hahaha Seriously why not have two on field refs to avoid bias?
24 Go to comments