William Collins (sportsman, born 1853)

William Edward Collins CMG (14 October 1853 in Monghyr, India – 11 August 1934 in Wellington, New Zealand) was a doctor, sportsman and politician.

His greatest sporting accomplishments were in rugby union; he represented England as a half-back several times in the 1870s, before emigrating to New Zealand in 1878.[1]

Collins also played two games of first-class cricket for Wellington in the 1880s. Previously he had played for Cheltenham College, and had played against teams captained by WG Grace.[2] AEJ Collins was his nephew,[1] while his son David Collins played more than 50 first-class matches and his brother John Collins six.

Away from sport, Collins was a notable medical doctor and surgeon in Wellington, having studied at the University of London. In WWI he was a Colonel in the New Zealand Medical Corps (NZMC). While on the New Zealand Hospital Ship Maheno in 1915 then serving in the Mediterranean he "raised hackles by denying nurses their officer status and deluding himself that he could command the ship’s commander, the master" (Captain McLean).[3]

Later Collins was appointed as a member of the New Zealand Legislative Council (the upper house) from 1907 and until he died; having been renewed in 1914, 1921 and 1928.[1]