Holland, Tavatavanawai join de Groot in All Blacks

Otago Daily Times

4 hours ago

Debutant Timoci Tavatavanawai takes part in a skills session after the All Blacks squad announcement at the Coastal Rugby Club in Taranaki yesterday. Tavatavanawai and Fabian Holland were yesterday named in the the All Blacks squad for the three-test series against France starting in Dunedin on July 5. The pair join Highlanders team-mate Ethan de Groot in the national side. PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES
Ethan de Groot will no longer be a lonely Highlander at the airport.
The burly prop spent a full year as the Highlanders' sole representative in the All Blacks after halfback great Aaron Smith moved to Japan.
Now he will have a giant Dutchman and big Jim for company in the departure lounge.
Exciting lock Fabian Holland and blockbusting utility back Timoci Tavatavanawai were yesterday named alongside de Groot in the All Blacks squad for the three-test series against France starting in Dunedin on July 5.
Holland's selection is reward for his potential — he is still just 22 — and his consistently excellent performances for the Highlanders in Super Rugby Pacific this season.
It also caps what will forever be one of the more interesting journeys to the All Blacks.
Holland, who grew up idolising New Zealand rugby players, left his native Netherlands at the age of 16 to go to school in Christchurch.
He then moved to Dunedin, where his rise with Otago and the Highlanders was so rapid it always seemed a matter of when, not if, he would represent his adopted land.
Holland, who has already played for the New Zealand under-20 team and the All Blacks XV, got the call of his dreams from All Blacks coach Scott Robertson on Sunday.
"I was going to go out for breakfast to see my foster family with my mum and my brother," Holland told Sky Sport yesterday.
"My mum flew over from the Netherlands, coincidentally.
"As I was just about to sit on the couch, I got a phone call. I'm pretty sure I blacked out there for a wee bit. The only thing I could really say to Razor (Robertson) was, 'Oh, yep, I'm speechless, mate.'
"It was really emotional having my family there, and calling my old man and sister back home. Mum pretty much jumped into my arms straight away."
Highlanders fans will also be delighted to see Tavatavanawai named in the All Blacks.
The Fijian-born back had a remarkable season in the South after being elevated to the co-captaincy and switched from wing to second five.
His physicality, explosiveness and freakish ability to gain turnovers make him an X-factor package, and it will intriguing to see how that translates to the test arena.
Tavatavanawai was pottering around in his garden when he got the news.
"I missed a call and then I saw a message and had to call Razor back.
"It's pretty awesome."
Otago No8 Christian Lio-Willie, fresh off a strong season with the Crusaders, will join the All Blacks as injury cover.