All Black Collins sustains serious injury

All Blacks flanker Jerry Collins was carried from the field with a severe neck injury yesterday as his Wellington Hurricanes side were beaten 23-13 by the Canterbury Crusaders in a Super 14 rugby match.

Collins was injured in the 46th minute of a physical match, while attempting to tackle Crusaders center Rua Tipoki. His head jerked back sharply as it made contact with Tipoki's shoulder, and Collins fell awkwardly and lay prone for several minutes while his injury was stabilized and a motorized stretcher was called.

No official information was immediately available on Collins' injury other than it was to his neck and was serious. He was taken to Christchurch Hospital, which incorporates New Zealand's leading unit for the treatment of neck and spinal injuries.

Canterbury's win, their sixth in a row, cemented their top placing in the Super 14 at the start of the 12th of 14 rounds.

However, it came in a match of poor quality and from one of Canterbury's least impressive performances this season.

Canterbury's continuity and ball security was poor and they played without their usual confidence and composure. Wellington's handling, lack of adventure and poor technique at breakdowns also cost them scoring chances.

New Zealand referee Paul Honiss left Wellington with 14 men for 10 minutes in the second half when he sin-binned All Blacks center Ma'a Nonu for an illegal tackle, acting on the report of touch judge Steve Walsh who also claimed to have been verbally abused by Nonu.

Canterbury's only second-half points came from the boot of All Blacks flyhalf Daniel Carter, who kicked two penalties. Carter kicked 13 points, landing three penalties and the conversions of first-half tries by Corey Flynn and Ross Filipo.

Flynn showed rare athleticism, running onto a pass from Carter in the 16th minute and dashing 25m to score, beating Hurricanes fullback Cory Jane with a brilliant swerve. Filipo drove over from a goal-line ruck in the 20th minute and Carter's kicking lifted Canterbury to a 17-13 half-time lead.

Wellington led briefly, 7-3, when Nonu scored in the 11th minute, stepping inside Rua Tipoki in a straightforward move from a 5m scrum as Canterbury's midfield backs muffed their defensive assignments.

Canterbury retrieved the lead with Flynn's try and refused to give up their advantage.

"It was what we always expect against the Hurricanes, a really physical affair," said Crusaders captain Richie McCaw. "There were a lot of mistakes and it wasn't pretty but we managed to get the four points, which was what we were after."