'I couldn't have asked for it to go any better' - Collins reflects on dream return to Gardens

On the eve of his first return to his former stomping ground, Collins had gone to bed and envisaged what he hoped would lie ahead for him and his Ealing Trailfinders team.

And following an incredible 80 minutes, the speedy wing was able to reflect on not only a fantastic 43-26 Premiership Rugby Cup quarter-final win for his team but also two tries for himself.

"Since leaving here, I've dreamed of coming back and proving a point," Collins said.

"I was unfortunate to miss out on the game (against Saints) at our place last season because I had a knee injury.

"Going to bed last night, I just wanted to come out and have a good game against my old team and I enjoyed it.

"It's against a team I massively respect as well. I was here for 12 years so to come back, it was almost like a home game.

"I wish I'd got my third (try) at the end there but I couldn't have asked for it to go any better if I'm honest."

It was a strange experience overall for Collins, who stepped into the away changing room at the Gardens for the first time.

"I'd been here 12 years and I don't think I'd ever set foot in there so to go in there and experience what it's like, it's nowhere near as nice as the home one," he said.

"But having the fans around, it was almost like a home game coming back."

Collins was seen chatting with his former Saints team-mate and the current Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson before the game.

"It was just nice to catch up with him," Collins said.

"I played alongside him and I wish him all the best."

So how has life been for Collins since he left Saints in the summer of 2023?

"It's been good," said the 30-year-old, who was initially due to move to London Irish before they went into administration, leaving him open to the switch to Ealing.

"I’ve got a business here (in Northampton) that I’m trying to build so going from here to there (Ealing) is difficult but I’m enjoying it.

"It’s a great group of lads at Ealing and they’ve got great passion to move forward and get into a higher league so hopefully I can do that with them.”

Collins hadn’t been back to the Gardens since leaving Saints, but he says he has kept a close eye on his former club’s matches from afar.

"I hadn’t been back but ever since leaving I’d say I’ve become an even bigger fan,” he said.

"It’s nice to sort of detach yourself because when you’re here and you’re playing or not playing, you get very emotionally involved.

"It’s nice to step away and I’ve got a lot of mates still here like Rory (Hutchinson), Furbs (George Furbank), people like that.

"It’s nice to watch them do well.

"I watch them on TV all the time and I’d say I’m one of the biggest Saints fans now I’ve left.

"When I was here I used to get a bit frustrated with things, but now I’ve left I’ve detached that emotion.”

Collins was given a warm welcome by everyone at the Gardens, and he celebrated in style after scoring his first try of the game, raising his arms to the sky in delight.

"It was like coming back home to be honest,” he said.

"Everyone was supportive, I had loads of nice messages with people wanting to catch up with me after the game so I was looking forward to that.”

Collins, a double-winner with Saints back in 2014, now has a cup semi-final to look forward to on Saturday as Ealing travel to Exeter Chiefs in the final four.

"It will be nice to prove a point,” he said.

"At Ealing, we’ve got so many ambitious players and we want to keep moving forward, proving that we can play at that (Premiership) level.

"If we get a spot in the Premiership at some point in the next couple of years, it will be great.”