TORONTO – With Canada trailing host New Zealand 65-15 in the 73rd minute at the 2011 World Cup, 262-pound All Blacks prop Tony Woodcock headed towards the Canadian goalline with a teammate to his right if needed.

There was just one Canadian defender in front of him – Adam Kleeberger.

The 216-pound Canadian flanker flew at the big man in what turned out to be a violent head-on-head collision that left both face down unconscious on the pitch. They finally got up but had to leave the game, with an unsteady Kleeberger helped to the Canadian locker-room in Wellington.

It was the kind of commitment Canada regularly got from Kleeberger, who has announced his retirement from elite rugby. He won 38 caps for Canada, starting all but five of those matches.

Kleeberger currently works at CSI Pacific as a Strength & Conditioning coach.