DAN COLLIER is thrilled with how his second spell at Plymouth Albion is going.
The giant lock returned to Brickfields in the summer after a three-year absence.
Collier played little rugby between his two spells at Albion. He did have a season at Ealing in the Championship but he only featured in six games for the west London club, making just one start.
But he has made himself a key player in Albion’s new-look side, starting seven of the club’s opening eight National One games.
“Yeah, it’s going very well,” said Collier, who made a great try-saving tackle on Saturday against Cinderford. “I’m feeling better than I was when I was younger. Graham (Dawe) has shown me the fountain of youth!
“But seriously, I’m just getting my head down and getting stuck in.
“Obviously I have had my niggles over the years, but now I have strung a few 80 minutes together, which is pleasing for me.”
At 30 years-old, Collier is the ‘grandad’ of the team. Not only is he the oldest member of the Albion squad, but he is one of only five players over the age of 25.
Collier, though, feels it is important the older players let the younger ones learn for themselves and not try and tell them what to do too much.
“The best way for them to progress is to let them be and discover on their own,” he said. “It’s no good giving them too much advice, just let them find out. That’s the best way of progressing your game is just learning game-by-game.”
The team, which regularly features four teenagers, certainly does appear to be learning each week.
After their set-back against Esher at home, they have claimed victories over Blaydon and Cinderford.
“We’ve got two five-point wins on the bounce now – you can’t ask for anymore,” said Collier. “It’s all about getting that ball rolling.
“We know we’ve still got to sort out a few more things, but I felt we were a lot more fired up for Saturday’s game (against Cinderford) after our big loss to Esher.
“We owed the fans a lot as that (the Esher game) is not how we play.
“On Saturday we showed what we are made off and we could have scored a lot more points if we’d cut out the penalties a bit.”
Albion now have a week off before travelling to Henley Hawks on November 7.
Collier admitted the team would love to make it three wins a row at Dry Leas.
“That’s the plan,” he said.