Collins back in action on Wednesday
by Huw Turner
June 11, 2001

Auckland NPC coach Wayne Pivac has named a very strong Auckland development XV to play Hawkes Bay on Wednesday, 13 June.

The most notable selection is flanker Justin Collins, the former Northland and Blues Super 12 player, who was the object of a wrangle between the Australian and New Zealand unions at the end of 2000. Collins, who was born in Tasmania, was on the verge of signing for the New South Wales Waratahs and signalling his intention of competing for a Wallabies shirt before he threw in his lot with New Zealand and was rewarded with a place on the A tour of Europe. Collins was kept out of the entire Blues 2001 campaign because of shoulder surgery and a disrupted period of habilitation.Wdnesday's match offers him a chance to re-establish his claims for an Auckland NPC spot after his end of season transfer from Northland.

With four former All Blacks in their ranks - Craig Dowd, Eroni Clarke, Joeli Vidiri and Xavier Rush- the development side is poorly named. There are a host of others who have either represented Auckland at NPC level and / or New Zealand in the World Sevens series.

The team is as follows:

1 Craig Dowd
2 Keven Mealamu
3 Tamato Leupolu
4 Jason Chandler
5 Bryce Williams
6 Justin Collins
7 Craig de Goldi
8 Xavier Rush (Captain)
9 Ben Meyer
10 Mana Ashford
11 Sione Kepu
12 Amasio Valence
13 Eroni Clarke
14 Joeli Vidiri
15 Justin Wilson

Reserves
16 Aaron Good
17 Murray Williams
18 George Harder
19 Grant Hill
20 Soane Tonga'uiha
21 Ali Williams
22 Pama Petia

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