Tony Coll

{{Short description|New Zealand international rugby league footballer and coach (died 2020)}}

{{Infobox rugby league biography

|name = Tony Coll

|fullname = Anthony Peter Coll

|nickname =

|image =

|image_size =

|caption =

|position = {{rlp|SR}}

|birth_date = 7 February 1952

|birth_place =

|death_date = {{Death date and age|2020|5|14|1952|2|7|df=yes}}

|death_place = Karoro, New Zealand

|height =

|weight = {{convert|87|kg|stlb lb|abbr=on}}

|coachteam1 = Marist (WCRL)

|club1 = Marist-West Suburbs

|year1start = 1970

|coachteamA = West Coast

|coachyearAstart =

|coachyearAend =

|coachgamesA =

|coachwinsA =

|coachdrawsA =

|coachlossesA =

|teamA = Canterbury

|yearAstart = 1970

|appearancesA = 1

|teamB = West Coast

|yearBstart =

|yearBend =

|appearancesB = 58

|triesB =

|goalsB =

|fieldgoalsB =

|pointsB =

|teamC = South Island

|teamD = New Zealand

|yearDstart = 1972

|yearDend = 82

|appearancesD = 30

|triesD = 4

|goalsD = 1

|fieldgoalsD = 0

|pointsD = 14

|updated =

|source = {{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/tony-coll/summary.html|title=Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018}}

|new = yes

}}

Anthony Peter Coll{{cite web|url=http://nzleague.co.nz/kiwis/player_profile.php?letter=C&id=503|title=COLL, ANTHONY PETER - 1972 - 82|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719143704/http://nzleague.co.nz/kiwis/player_profile.php?letter=C&id=503 |archivedate=19 July 2011|website=nzleague.co.nz}} (7 February 1952 – 14 May 2020) was a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer and coach who represented New Zealand in three World Cups.

Early life and family

Coll grew up on the West Coast. 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. He was educated at Marist Brothers High School, Greymouth.[https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/7962 "Marist Brothers, Greymouth, Centennial.1892-1992", West Coast New Zealand History] (Retrieved 4 August 2022)

Playing career

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. 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.Coffey, John. Canterbury XIII, Christchurch, 1987.

Later years

Coll coached the West Coast in 1986 and 1987.

He was made a New Zealand Rugby League "Legends of League" in 2007.[https://archive.today/20130201192238/http://www.rleague.com/db/article.php?id=28280 Three more greats inducted into New Zealand's Legends of League] rleague.com, 3 June 2007

He ran a sports store in Greymouth.[http://www.sportsworld.co.nz/greymouth.html Sports World: Coll's Sportsworld & Avanti Pro Cycles] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100825182517/http://www.sportsworld.co.nz/greymouth.html |date=25 August 2010 }} In 2011 Coll was elected to the Grey District Council in a by-election.[http://www.nzrl.co.nz/media/54365/in%20touch%20august%202011%20web.pdf In Touch] nzrl.co.nz, August 2011. p.19.

Coll suffered a heart attack in 2019. On 14 May 2020, he died aged 68 after suffering a second heart attack while biking near Karoro.{{cite news|last1=Kenny|first1=Jake|last2=Kermeen|first2=Mat|last3=Smith|first3=Tony|title=Former Kiwis captain and West Coast community leader Tony Coll dies|date=14 May 2020|work=Stuff|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/300012956/former-kiwis-captain-and-west-coast-community-leader-tony-coll-dies|accessdate=14 May 2020}}{{cite news |url=https://deaths.press.co.nz/obituaries/the-press-nz/obituary.aspx?n=anthony-coll&pid=196195503 |title=Anthony Coll death notice |date=16 May 2020 |work=The Press |accessdate=16 May 2020}}