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Billy Holland

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Billy Holland
Date of birth (1985-08-03) 3 August 1985 (age 39)
Place of birthCork, Ireland
Height1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight112 kg (17.6 st; 247 lb)
SchoolChristian Brothers College
UniversityUniversity College Cork
Notable relative(s)Jerry Holland (father)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock, Flanker
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
UCC ()
Cork Constitution ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2007–2021 Munster 247 (30)
Correct as of 11 June 2021
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2014–2015 Emerging Ireland 5 (5)
2016 Ireland 1 (0)
Correct as of 12 November 2016

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

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Munster

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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

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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

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Emerging Ireland

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Individual

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References

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  1. ^ "No Joy at Musgrave Park For Gaffney". Munster Rugby. 7 September 2007. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  2. ^ "Oh So Close". Munster Rugby. 20 November 2008. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  3. ^ "Munster's Heineken Cup Continues". Munster Rugby. 10 April 2010. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  4. ^ "Class of 2010 Excel". Munster Rugby. 17 November 2010. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  5. ^ "Ryan Signs On For Two More Years". Munster Rugby. 13 March 2012. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  6. ^ "Munster Prove Too Strong". Munster Rugby. 27 April 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
  7. ^ "O'Connell Starts As Van Den Heever Makes Debut". Munster Rugby. 28 November 2013. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
  8. ^ "Munster Win Hard Fought Battle". Munster Rugby. 29 November 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  9. ^ "Holland Signs And Nagle On Loan". Munster Rugby. 10 February 2014. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
  10. ^ "Nominations In For Munster Rugby Awards". Munster Rugby. 20 April 2015. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
  11. ^ "Holland Signs Contract Extension". Munster Rugby. 29 January 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  12. ^ "Nominations In For Munster Rugby Awards". Munster Rugby. 27 April 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  13. ^ a b "6 Munster Players Included In PRO12 Dream Team". Munster Rugby. 5 May 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  14. ^ "Stats & Pics: Season So Far". Munster Rugby. 4 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  15. ^ "Contract Signings". Munster Rugby. 10 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  16. ^ "Report | Munster Go Top After Win In Connacht". Munster Rugby. 5 January 2019. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  17. ^ "Holland Leading The Way On 200". Munster Rugby. 6 January 2019. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  18. ^ "Munster Trio Sign Contract Extensions". Munster Rugby. 20 February 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  19. ^ "Report | Munster Win In Edinburgh". Munster Rugby. 20 February 2021. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  20. ^ "Billy Holland to retire from rugby at end of the season". Irish Examiner. 1 March 2021. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  21. ^ a b "Guinness PRO14 Dream Team | de Allende, Holland and O'Byrne Included". Munster Rugby. 1 April 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  22. ^ "Report | Munster Finish Season With Bonus-Point Victory". Munster Rugby. 11 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  23. ^ "IRUPA Awards For Holland And Zebo". Munster Rugby. 9 May 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  24. ^ "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.
  25. ^ "Emerging Ireland Are Nations Cup Champions". Irish Rugby. 22 June 2014. Archived from the original on 4 September 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  26. ^ "Holland And Wilson Added To Ireland Squad". Irish Rugby. 24 February 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  27. ^ "Emerging Ireland Squad Named For Tbilisi Cup". Irish Rugby. 19 May 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  28. ^ "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.
  29. ^ "Emerging Ireland Earn Second Bonus Point Victory". Irish Rugby. 17 June 2015. Archived from the original on 31 October 2017. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  30. ^ "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.
  31. ^ "Six Uncapped Players In Ireland Squad". Irish Rugby. 26 October 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  32. ^ "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.
  33. ^ "13 Munster Players In Ireland Squad". Munster Rugby. 23 January 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  34. ^ "Ringrose named Players' Player of the Year at Irish players awards ceremony". The42. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  35. ^ "'It's going to be one of Munster's greatest wins. I have no doubt'". The42. 10 December 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
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