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.
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]
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]
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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
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.
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]
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]