Baby Ayla's silver lining

Jerry Collins' daughter Ayla sleeps in her grandmother's lavalava. Photo / Facebook

She's captured hearts around the world, and now baby Ayla Collins is showing the signs of diplomacy of a seasoned citizen of the world.

The 4-and-a-half-month-old orphaned daughter of All Black star Jerry Collins and his Canadian sweetheart Alana Madill this week met her paternal grandparents for the first time.

Frank and Galuia Collins travelled to Canada with their daughter Brenda to meet Ayla, the sole survivor of a horror smash in France in June which took the lives of her parents.

Ayla suffered bleeding on the brain and returned to her birthplace in Canada with Madill's parents last month after earlier fighting for her life in a French hospital.

Along with kisses and cuddles from her dad's family, Ayla also joined them to watch the family's native Samoa, where Collins was born, defeat Canada 21-20 in the Pacific Nations Cup match in Toronto on Thursday.

The poignant clash prompted Madill's sister, Nora Dureau, to post on her Facebook page that she hoped the battle ended in a tie.

In response, Brenda Collins wrote that: "Ayla smiled and laughed as both national anthems played."

Another poster praised the baby for being "diplomatic already" to which Dureau replied that the cherished tot "has the best aunties and best nationalities".

The Collins' could not be contacted yesterday, but Dureau told the Herald on Sunday the family arrived on Monday and their first meeting with Ayla had been "awesome".

"It's very emotional but it was also absolutely wonderful."

Dureau and her family were yesterday finalising details for Madill's funeral, which was due to take place overnight at the All Saints Anglican Church in the Saskatchewan city of Regina.

She was cremated in France and her ashes will be interred at her family's Cree Native American Reserve.