Anthony Peter Coll[2] (1949 or 1950 – 14 May 2020) was a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer and coach who represented New Zealand in three World Cups.[1]

Tony Coll
Personal information
Full nameAnthony Peter Coll
Born1949 or 1950
Died (aged 70)
Karoro, New Zealand
Playing information
Weight87 kg (13 st 10 lb; 192 lb)
PositionSecond-row
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1970 Marist-West Suburbs
1988–2020 Marist (WCRL) 227
Total 227 0 0 0 0
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1970 Canterbury 1
West Coast 58
South Island
1972–82 New Zealand 30 4 1 0 14
Coaching information
Club
Years Team Gms W D L W%
Marist (WCRL)
Representative
Years Team Gms W D L W%
West Coast
Source: [1]

Early life and family

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Coll grew up on the West Coast.[3] He was the son of Peter Coll—a West Coast rugby league representative who played in the team that defeated the touring Great Britain side in 1946—and the uncle of squash player Paul Coll.[3] He was educated at Marist Brothers High School, Greymouth.[4]

Playing career

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A West Coast representative, Coll played in 65 games (including 30 tests) for the New Zealand national rugby league team including three world cups. Coll trialled for the 1971 Kiwis unsuccessfully, however he was selected the following year.[5] He was the Kiwis' captain at the 1977 World Cup.

Coll also had a brief spell in the Canterbury Rugby League competition, playing with Marist-Western Suburbs and representing Canterbury.[6]

Later years

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Coll coached the West Coast in 1986 and 1987.

He was made a New Zealand Rugby League "Legends of League" in 2007.[5]

He ran a sports store in Greymouth.[7] In 2011 Coll was elected to the Grey District Council in a by-election.[8]

Coll suffered a heart attack in 2019. On 14 May 2020, he died aged 70 after suffering a second heart attack while biking near Karoro.[3][9]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  2. ^ "COLL, ANTHONY PETER - 1972 - 82". nzleague.co.nz. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011.
  3. ^ a b c Kenny, Jake; Kermeen, Mat; Smith, Tony (14 May 2020). "Former Kiwis captain and West Coast community leader Tony Coll dies". Stuff. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  4. ^ "Marist Brothers, Greymouth, Centennial.1892-1992", West Coast New Zealand History (Retrieved 4 August 2022)
  5. ^ a b Three more greats inducted into New Zealand's Legends of League rleague.com, 3 June 2007
  6. ^ Coffey, John. Canterbury XIII, Christchurch, 1987.
  7. ^ Sports World: Coll's Sportsworld & Avanti Pro Cycles Archived 25 August 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ In Touch nzrl.co.nz, August 2011. p.19.
  9. ^ "Anthony Coll death notice". The Press. 16 May 2020. Retrieved 16 May 2020.