Ex-All Black: The breakthrough star’s ‘superpower’ which can ‘pressure’ the Springboks as Dave Rennie’s big call explained
Fabian Holland competing in a lineout for the All Blacks and former front-rower James Parsons.
Former All Blacks hooker James Parsons believes Dave Rennie has set Fabian Holland one clear task after naming him at second-row for the first Springboks Test.
The 23-year-old will pack down alongside Josh Lord at lock in one of the head coach’s biggest decisions for this weekend’s encounter at Ellis Park.
Holland has been in fine form on this South African tour, but this will be just his third game – and first international – since last November after missing the entirety of Super Rugby Pacific and the Nations Championship through injury.
Patrick Tuipulotu impressed in their final game of the July series against Ireland and his extra physicality would have been considered by Rennie, but he has instead opted for a greater lineout presence.
On the Aotearoa Rugby Pod, former Crusaders Bryn Hall stated that the engine room would have been one of the All Blacks’ toughest selection decisions.
Lots of second-row options
“There are not many selections where we think, ‘is that a surprise?’ Maybe Fabian Holland. We touched around that, there was a debate who the locks were going to be,” Hall said.
“Sam Darry’s played well, Paddy Tuipulotu’s played well, Josh Lord has had a great start to the season and obviously Fabian Holland as well, with Tupou Vaa’i at six. That’s probably the only talking point.
“You look at Fabian Holland and Josh Lord, it is going to be a very tall lineout. You talk around defensively lineout with Tupou Vaa’i, it is a very formidable locking stocks in terms of height and athleticism with Josh Lord, Holland and Tupou Vaa’i.”
Parsons then chimed in, explaining the reason why Rennie has gone for the Dutch-born Holland.
“I think Holland’s superpower is why he’s been selected. You can’t look at any of the locks and say they haven’t earned the right to be selected, but it’s his defensive lineout work,” he said.
“I always go back to when they were down to 13, the Blues five metres out from the line and he stole that lineout, and the Highlanders managed to win that game.
“You saw it the other day, he pinched a couple. That’s an area, if we can pressure, that’s a Springboks strength, so we’ve selected two guys that are our tallest locks but also one that specialises in that defensive movement and reading lineouts.
“I don’t know if he speaks Afrikaans, but he might be able to understand a few things while he’s out there.”
Rennie’s risk
With effectively three locks in the starting XV, Rennie has decided not to have any second-row cover on the bench with loose forwards Anton Segner and Peter Lakai among the replacements, but that could backfire.
“You know what it’s like when you take risks in terms of bench,” Parsons said. “If we lose Tupou Vaa’i or a Fabian Holland or a Josh Lord, or two of them….
“But if we don’t, and the feeling is South Africa are going to fight fire with fire, Anton Segner and Peter Lakai with no lock reserve, and with the injury concerns in the backs, it could be a masterstroke in terms of that up tempo game in the last 20.”