However, the Otago captain seemed to be holding up pretty well considering he was wearing an Otago T-shirt.
It was snowing outside and not much warmer inside. But his warm training top was back at home, still waiting to be washed and "stunk of beer".
It was a big night on Sunday.
Otago wrestled the Ranfurly Shield from Taranaki with a clinical 30-19 win.
It was the third time Otago has won the log o’ wood in the past seven years and Collins is the only player to have played in all three games.
"I’ve been quite lucky," he said.
"People can play for years and years and never even get a shot at it.
"I’ll look back in probably 20 years when my career is done and dusted and I’m more newspaper wrapping and I guess it will be a cool story to reflect back on."
Collins was reluctant to single out a game. They were all special but the first in 2013 ended the much talked about 56-year drought.
"When we won it in 2013 it had been a long time in the making and then 2018 was pretty special as well.
"But I reckon the coolest thing for me is seeing the boys who get it for the first time and just the excitement it brings.
"And then coming home to the airport and seeing the fans and children come out and enjoy it too is pretty special."
Otago held the shield very briefly in 2013. It was beaten narrowly by Hawke’s Bay just over a week later.
Seven years on, and Otago has an opportunity to avenge that defeat.
It is playing Hawke’s Bay at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Sunday and the shield is on the line again.
Hawke’s Bay is fresh from a 20-19 win against Canterbury. That is the same scoreline it beat Otago by in 2013 when it ripped the shield away.
"They are a good team and they have an awesome set piece. They have some really good players as well but I think our situation is a bit different from 2013.
"I think we had a few too many beers for a few too many days back then because it had been a long time. But we celebrated accordingly in the weekend and from [yesterday] everyone’s prep is nailed and we’ll be ready to go by Sunday."
Otago is also fresh from a professional performance which Collins ranks as one of the better executed games.
"I think the game we played in the weekend was probably the most mature game we’ve played in a long time.
"There was a big wind up there and Josh [Ioane], Kayne [Hammington] and Vili [Koroi] played really well and won the kicking battle."
The acid will go on the pack this week. Hawke’s Bay loves a good lineout drive.
Veteran hooker Ash Dixon scored a bunch of tries (seven) that way last season and has already has three this season.
Otago has been working hard in that area and is ready for the particular type of threat Hawke’s Bay will pose.
"We’ve been building the maul and the set piece for the last four weeks and against the Naki I think you saw us get a lot of gains from it.
"Our maul has not been a big threat but you are seeing now that we can use it as an attacking weapon as well, similar to the way Hawke’s Bay do."