Holland's 24-tackle masterclass earns All Blacks coaching staff praise after omission

Fabian Holland silenced any doubts about his All Blacks standing with a commanding display in New Zealand’s second Bledisloe Cup Test victory over Australia at Accor Stadium in Sydney, making a game-high 24 tackles after being left out of the side for the Eden Park opener a week earlier.

All Blacks assistant coach Jason Ryan, speaking to media from the squad’s Edinburgh hotel ahead of the Northern Tour, said Holland’s performance was exactly what the coaching staff had been looking for. “Yeah, we did [see what they wanted]. We thought he was outstanding. I think he and Scooter both had the most carries and probably the most tackles between them of our tight fives,” Ryan said.

Holland had been replaced in the first Test by Josh Lord, who started alongside Scott Barrett at Eden Park. The Dutch-born lock returned to the starting lineup in Sydney and dominated in the second half as the All Blacks ran away with the match.

Ryan acknowledged that Holland has been managing the after-effects of a shoulder injury that disrupted his season, noting the lock is still rebuilding confidence after an extended spell on the sidelines. “He’s still rehabbing, getting that confidence right. But I know that he’s got a lot of confidence out of that second Bledisloe Cup test, and he’s right where he needs to be heading into this Northern Tour,” Ryan added.

The assistant coach also reflected on the broader depth New Zealand now possesses in the lock position — a contrast to the era when Sam Whitelock and Brodie Retallick were near-permanent fixtures. Ryan pointed to Jamie, who impressed when introduced from the bench during the South Africa series, as further evidence of the competition for places.

“It doesn’t seem that long ago that it was Sam Whitelock and Brodie Retallick who were just there all the time, and Scooter was obviously in the mix too, but now we’ve given some lads a real taste of it,” Ryan said. “They’re all at a great age, all of them, and Scooter’s the experienced one, and they’re all competing really hard, and it’s exciting.”

The All Blacks, who claimed two comprehensive wins over the Wallabies in the Bledisloe Cup, now travel through Europe on the Northern Tour with a lock contingent that Ryan believes is among the most competitive in the squad.