Will Collier

Will Collier
Birth nameWilliam St Lawrence Webb Collier
Date of birth (1991-05-05) 5 May 1991 (age 33)
Place of birthHammersmith, London, England
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight116 kg (18 st 4 lb)
SchoolCranleigh School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Tighthead Prop
Current team Castres
Youth career
1997–2009 Rosslyn Park
2005–2011 Harlequins Academy
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2009–2011
2011–2024
2011–2012
2024–		 Rosslyn Park
Harlequins
→ Esher
Castres		 40
240
7
0		 (30)
(20)
(0)
(0)
Correct as of 2 August 2024
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2011
2014–2022
2017		 England U20
England XV
England		 7
3
2		 (0)
(0)
(5)
Correct as of 11 December 2023

William St Lawrence Webb Collier (born 5 May 1991) is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a tighthead prop for Top 14 club Castres Olympique.

Career

Collier is a front row specialist who cites his interest in the 'dark arts' (of scrummaging) inspired in part by Chris Ritchie, a veteran London Welsh RFC player and Joe Launchbury, a former England Rugby international.[1] His first club was Rosslyn Park F.C. where he began at six years old and played in their mini, youth and First XV squads.[1]

Collier joined the Harlequins academy at the age of fourteen.[2] In January 2011 he made his club debut for Quins against Wasps RFC in a 2010–11 Anglo-Welsh Cup fixture.[3]

Collier represented England U20 during the 2011 Six Nations Under 20s Championship and appeared as a substitute in the last round as they defeated Ireland to complete a grand slam.[4] Later that year he was a member of their squad at the 2011 IRB Junior World Championship ands came off the bench in the final which England lost against New Zealand to finish runners up.[5]

Collier was on the substitutes bench when Harlequins overcame Leicester Tigers in the 2012 Premiership final to become league champions for the first time in their history.[6] In March 2013 Collier started for the side that defeated Sale Sharks to win the Anglo-Welsh Cup.[7] He scored his debut try for Harlequins in a European Rugby Champions Cup defeat to La Rochelle in the pool stage of the 2017–18 season.[8]

Collier was included in the senior England squad for their 2017 tour of Argentina.[9] On 10 June 2017 he made his Test debut as a substitute against Argentina.[10] A week later Collier scored a try as England won the series.[11] Ultimately these were his only two caps.[2]

In the 2020–21 season, Collier was a replacement in both the Premiership semi-final victory over Bristol Bears and the final against Exeter Chiefs on 26 June 2021, as Harlequins won the game 40–38 in the highest scoring Premiership final ever.[12][13] The following year saw Collier start for an England XV side in an uncapped match against the Barbarians.[14]

In his final season at Harlequins Collier started for the side that were eliminated by Toulouse in the semi-final of the 2024 Champions Cup.[15] After more than a decade with Harlequins making 240 club appearances, Collier joined Castres Olympique for the 2024–25 season.[2]

International career

International tries

As of 11 December 2023[16]
Try Opposing team Location Venue Competition Date Result Score
1  Argentina Santa Fe, Argentina Estadio Brigadier General Estanislao López 2017 Tour of Argentina 17 June 2017 Win 35 – 25

Honours

Harlequins

England U20

References

  1. ^ a b Mairs, Gavin (27 May 2017). "How Will Collier's love of the scrum's dark was inspired by an unlikely mentor". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  2. ^ a b c "Harlequins prop Collier to leave club for France". BBC Sport. 14 May 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  3. ^ Treadwell, Matthew (31 August 2017). "Harlequins prop Will Collier signs new contract". Sky Sports. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Ford drives England to overall glory". Irish Times. 19 March 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  5. ^ a b Mole, Giles (18 January 2019). "Dan Robson joins the club: How 2011 world junior final between England and New Zealand spawned 27 Test stars". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  6. ^ a b Jones, Adam (26 May 2012). "Harlequins 30-23 Leicester". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  7. ^ a b Mitchell, Brendon (17 March 2013). "LV= Cup final: Sale Sharks 14-32 Harlequins". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  8. ^ Henson, Mike (14 October 2017). "European Rugby Champions Cup: Harlequins 27-34 La Rochelle". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  9. ^ "England v Argentina: Dylan Hartley, Joe Launchbury & George Ford in squad". BBC Sport. 20 April 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  10. ^ Standley, James (10 June 2017). "England beat Argentina thanks to Denny Solomona's late try". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  11. ^ Aylwin, Michael (17 June 2017). "Will Collier try seals second Test and series win for England in Argentina". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  12. ^ Harby, Chris (19 June 2021). "Premiership semi-final: Bristol Bears 36-43 Harlequins (AET) - Quins reach Twickenham after stunning fightback". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  13. ^ a b Pilnick, Brent (26 June 2021). "Premiership final: Exeter Chiefs 38-40 Harlequins - Louis Lynagh's late double clinches title". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  14. ^ "Match report England vs Barbarian F.C." All.Rugby. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  15. ^ Mann, Mantej (5 May 2024). "Toulouse battle past Quins to reach Champions Cup final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  16. ^ "Will Collier". ESPN Scrum. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
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