Billy Holland
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Date of birth | 3 August 1985 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Place of birth | Cork, Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 112 kg (17.6 st; 247 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Christian Brothers College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
University | University College Cork | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notable relative(s) | Jerry Holland (father) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Billy Holland (born 3 August 1985) is an Irish former rugby union player, who spent his entire career playing for his native province of Munster, whilst also earning a single international cap for Ireland. He played primarily as a lock, though also played flanker occasionally, and represented Cork Constitution in the All-Ireland League.
Professional career
[edit]Munster
[edit]Holland made his full debut for Munster against Scarlets on 22 September 2007, having made his non-competitive debut against Saracens in a friendly on 7 September.[1] He was part of the Munster team that narrowly lost to New Zealand on 18 November 2008, in the opening game of the new Thomond Park.[2] He made his Heineken Cup debut in Munster 2009–10 Heineken Cup quarter-final against Northampton Saints on 10 April 2010.[3] Holland started for Munster in their historic 15–6 victory over Australia on 16 November 2010.[4]
He signed a new two-year contract with Munster in March 2012.[5] Holland led Munster A to victory in the 2011–12 British and Irish Cup Final, putting in a captains performance in the 31–12 win.[6] Holland captained Munster against Dragons on 29 November 2013.[7][8] He signed a new two-year contract with Munster in February 2014, which will see him remain with the province until at least June 2016.[9] Holland was nominated for the 2015 Munster Rugby Senior Player of the Year Award in April 2015.[10] In January 2016, Holland signed a new two-year contract with Munster.[11] He was nominated for the 2016 Munster Senior Player of the Year Award, the second successive season he was nominated.[12] On 5 May 2017, Holland was named in the 2016–17 Pro12 Dream Team.[13] Holland started Munster's first 16 games of the 2017–18 season[14] and signed a two-year contract extension with the province in January 2018.[15]
He won his 200th cap for Munster during their 2018–19 Pro14 round 13 win against Connacht on 5 January 2019, becoming just the tenth player to achieve the feat with the province.[16][17] He signed a one-year contract extension with the province in February 2020.[18] Holland became Munster's joint-second most capped player with Ronan O'Gara on 240 caps when he captained the province to a 22–10 away win against Edinburgh in round 12 of the 2020–21 Pro14 on 20 February 2021, also winning the Man-of-the-Match award.[19] He retired at the end of the 2020–21 season after 14 years with the province,[20] and was named in the 2020–21 Pro14 Dream Team in his final season.[21] Holland's final game for Munster was their 54–11 away win against Italian side Zebre in round 6 of the Pro14 Rainbow Cup on 11 June 2021.[22]
Ireland
[edit]Holland had represented Ireland Schools, Ireland under 19s and Ireland under 21s. He won the IRUPA Award for Unsung Hero on 8 May 2013.[23] He started for Emerging Ireland their second 2014 IRB Nations Cup game against Uruguay on 18 June 2014, scoring a try.[24] He also started in the 31–10 victory over Romania on 22 June 2014, a win that secured the 2014 IRB Nations Cup for Emerging Ireland.[25]
Holland was added to the senior Ireland squad for the 2015 Six Nations Championship game against England on 24 February 2015.[26] He was named in the Emerging Ireland squad for the 2015 World Rugby Tbilisi Cup on 19 May 2015.[27] Holland started in the opening 25–0 win against Emerging Italy on 13 June 2015.[28] Holland started in the 33–7 win against Uruguay on 17 June 2015.[29] He captained the side in the 45–12 win against Georgia on 21 June 2015, a win which secured the tournament for Emerging Ireland.[30]
On 26 October 2016, Holland was named in Ireland's squad for the 2016 end-of-year rugby union internationals.[31] On 12 November 2016, Holland made his senior Ireland debut when he started in the 52–21 win against Canada.[32] On 23 January 2017, Holland was named in the Ireland squad for the opening two rounds of the 2017 Six Nations Championship.[33] Holland was awarded the Contribution to Irish Society accolade at the Irish Rugby Players Awards in October 2020.[34]
Holland was the recipient of the 2021 Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland's Tom Rooney Award in recognition of his contribution to Irish rugby.[35]
Honours
[edit]Emerging Ireland
[edit]- World Rugby Nations Cup
- Winner (1): 2014
- World Rugby Tbilisi Cup
- Winner (1): 2015
Individual
[edit]- United Rugby Championship Dream Team
References
[edit]- ^ "No Joy at Musgrave Park For Gaffney". Munster Rugby. 7 September 2007. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
- ^ "Oh So Close". Munster Rugby. 20 November 2008. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
- ^ "Munster's Heineken Cup Continues". Munster Rugby. 10 April 2010. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
- ^ "Class of 2010 Excel". Munster Rugby. 17 November 2010. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
- ^ "Ryan Signs On For Two More Years". Munster Rugby. 13 March 2012. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
- ^ "Munster Prove Too Strong". Munster Rugby. 27 April 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
- ^ "O'Connell Starts As Van Den Heever Makes Debut". Munster Rugby. 28 November 2013. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
- ^ "Munster Win Hard Fought Battle". Munster Rugby. 29 November 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
- ^ "Holland Signs And Nagle On Loan". Munster Rugby. 10 February 2014. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
- ^ "Nominations In For Munster Rugby Awards". Munster Rugby. 20 April 2015. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
- ^ "Holland Signs Contract Extension". Munster Rugby. 29 January 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
- ^ "Nominations In For Munster Rugby Awards". Munster Rugby. 27 April 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
- ^ a b "6 Munster Players Included In PRO12 Dream Team". Munster Rugby. 5 May 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
- ^ "Stats & Pics: Season So Far". Munster Rugby. 4 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
- ^ "Contract Signings". Munster Rugby. 10 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
- ^ "Report | Munster Go Top After Win In Connacht". Munster Rugby. 5 January 2019. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
- ^ "Holland Leading The Way On 200". Munster Rugby. 6 January 2019. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
- ^ "Munster Trio Sign Contract Extensions". Munster Rugby. 20 February 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
- ^ "Report | Munster Win In Edinburgh". Munster Rugby. 20 February 2021. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
- ^ "Billy Holland to retire from rugby at end of the season". Irish Examiner. 1 March 2021. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
- ^ a b "Guinness PRO14 Dream Team | de Allende, Holland and O'Byrne Included". Munster Rugby. 1 April 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
- ^ "Report | Munster Finish Season With Bonus-Point Victory". Munster Rugby. 11 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
- ^ "IRUPA Awards For Holland And Zebo". Munster Rugby. 9 May 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
- ^ "Emerging Ireland Enjoy Back-To-Back Bonus Point Wins". Irish Rugby. 18 June 2014. Archived from the original on 20 June 2014. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
- ^ "Emerging Ireland Are Nations Cup Champions". Irish Rugby. 22 June 2014. Archived from the original on 4 September 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
- ^ "Holland And Wilson Added To Ireland Squad". Irish Rugby. 24 February 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
- ^ "Emerging Ireland Squad Named For Tbilisi Cup". Irish Rugby. 19 May 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
- ^ "Emerging Ireland Off The Mark With Bonus Point Win". Irish Rugby. 13 June 2015. Archived from the original on 17 June 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
- ^ "Emerging Ireland Earn Second Bonus Point Victory". Irish Rugby. 17 June 2015. Archived from the original on 31 October 2017. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
- ^ "Emerging Ireland Lift Tbilisi Cup After Third Bonus Point Win". Irish Rugby. 21 June 2015. Archived from the original on 22 June 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
- ^ "Six Uncapped Players In Ireland Squad". Irish Rugby. 26 October 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
- ^ "Ireland Win GUINNESS Series Opener With Eight New Caps". Irish Rugby. 12 November 2016. Archived from the original on 13 November 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
- ^ "13 Munster Players In Ireland Squad". Munster Rugby. 23 January 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
- ^ "Ringrose named Players' Player of the Year at Irish players awards ceremony". The42. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
- ^ "'It's going to be one of Munster's greatest wins. I have no doubt'". The42. 10 December 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.