Dutch courage: Fabian Holland’s move to New Zealand pays dividends with All Blacks call-up

Wednesday, 25 June 2025

Speaking after naming his squad for the looming three-test series against France, head coach Scott Robertson left the door open for omitted players, and confirmed some walking wounded were expected back for the Rugby Championship, starting August 17.

Fabian Holland’s mother couldn’t have picked a better time to visit.

Over from the Netherlands on a pre-arranged trip to see her two rugby-playing sons during some down-time post Super Rugby Pacific, the trio were set to attend next Saturday’s opening test of the All Blacks season against France in Dunedin as fans.

But that plan could now come with a rather special upgrade, with the potential of Holland now making his dream debut for his adopted nation in the very same fixture.

That is after the towering 2.04m lock was named as one of five uncapped players in Scott Robertson’s 33-man squad for the three-test series, a selection which has paid the ultimate dividends after Holland’s gutsy move across the world to chase his test rugby ambitions.

Now 22, it was at the even more tender age of 16 when he had shifted from the Netherlands after being inspired by the black jersey, in a journey that has also now led the way for younger brother, Quinten, a similar-stature second-rower rising the ranks down south.

Through Christchurch Boys’ High School, Otago, the Highlanders, the New Zealand Under-20s, the All Blacks XV (after World Rugby’s law tweak last August brought his eligibility forward by a year), it’s now the pinnacle, after a memorable call from Robertson on Sunday.

Fabian Holland is set to become the first-ever Dutch All Black.

“I was at my foster family’s, the people who took care of me from the Dunedin Sharks [club], they had organised a brunch with my mum over,” Holland said at Monday’s official squad announcement at the Coastal Rugby Club in Taranaki.

“Then as I was sitting on the couch I got a phone call. And it got pretty emotional after that. It was a pretty special moment, having mum there and my brother, and people I see as family.

“[There was] a lot of waterworks after that. It was extremely special, [I’m] extremely privileged.

“I guess it’s no secret that this has been a dream from a fairly young age, so to get that call was very emotional, I was quite speechless.

“I called my old man, who’s still in the Netherlands. I think it was about 1am for him, so he was still half asleep. Then he called me the next morning and was like, ‘Oh, did I dream that?’, and I was like, ‘Nah, nah’, and that’s when it kind of hit him, and the same for my sister.”

Fabian Holland receives the man-of-the-match award on All Blacks XV debut against Munster last year.

While there have been players with all sorts of heritage wear the All Blacks jersey, the aptly-named Holland will become the first-ever of Dutch descent, a feat he says “means everything”.

“Growing up in the Netherlands, it’s something untouchable,” he said. “You say it out loud but you don’t actually think that it’s ever something that could be achieved.

“But through a lot of hard work, dedication, sacrifice, and just a lot of joy in the game itself… I managed to now be here.”

With Holland already having made a fine impression when called in to train with the All Blacks on last year’s northern tour, Robertson noted he “picked himself” with his performances this Super season, along with being “extremely diligent”, “tough”, “tall”, and “big”, while forwards coach Jason Ryan noted he had “probably been one of the consistent tight-forward performers in the competition” and that “he loves the contest, whether he’s around the ball or off the ball”.

And, with Ethan de Groot having flown the lone flag for Highlanders representation in All Blacks squads the past couple of years, the prop will have even further company when the group gathers in Auckland on Wednesday, after Timoci Tavatavanawai, eventually, had the good news sent his way as well.

Timoci Tavatavanawai was gardening and missed his phone call from All Blacks coach Scott Robertson.

“I actually missed a call from Razor,” the Highlanders co-captain laughed, when revealing how his special moment played out.

“I was doing some gardening at home, then grabbed my phone and I saw the missed call from Razor and I just called him straight away and he told me the news.

“I keep pinching myself, even when they were announcing the names [on Monday] I was shaking, it was unreal.”

Tavatavanawai is, himself, another overseas product, born and raised in Fiji and representing them at under-20 level, before moving to New Zealand in 2017, in what had actually been a mix-up in destinations between Burnside High School in Christchurch, where he had initially eyed up going, and Burnside Avenue near Blenheim’s airport, with everything history after that, as he stayed on to represent Tasman.

“It means a lot to me and my family, especially coming over from Fiji, it was a dream goal for my old man and myself, and to see him watching from above and see me achieve that goal, it feels awesome,” he said.

After a stellar season which Tavatavanawai admitted had initially been a tricky transition from wing to second-five, but which eventually saw him finish leading Super Rugby’s turnover count (26), All Blacks assistant coach Scott Hansen said the selectors “just have to be brave” and give him the opportunity to show his wares at the next level.

“He’s matured into a decisive ball-carrier, he influences the game both sides of the ball, his threat in the middle of the field defensively over the ball [is big], he worked so hard and tirelessly for the Highlanders this year,” Hansen said.

“And just talking to the [Highlanders] environment, they couldn’t speak more highly of him, as a player, and as a person.

“We need to put a black jersey on him, and see that he’s capable of doing that in test match rugby. Because if he is, he’ll make the All Blacks better.”