Munster cult hero Holland will be coaching in Super Rugby from next year

THE HURRICANES HAVE announced that former Munster centre Jason Holland will join their coaching staff for the 2016 season.

Holland and Dominic Crotty on the attack for Munster in 2000. Source: Lorraine O’Sullivan/INPHO

The Super Rugby franchise say the ex-centre will replace the outgoing Clark Laidlaw as assistant coach to Chris Boyd, with Laidlaw set to leave for London Irish at the end of this year’s competition.

Holland will link up with former Ireland forwards coach John Plumtree at the Hurricanes, who are currently top Super Rugby after winning all seven of their opening games.

Taranaki man Holland became a Munster legend during his playing days, earning 102 caps for the province between 1999 and 2008. The centre scored a drop goal in the 2000 Heineken Cup final defeat to Northampton and also started the 2002 final loss to Leicester.

Holland moved into the role of video analyst for Munster as his playing days wound down, before advancing into the position of backs and attack coach for Tony McGahan’s senior squad in the 2008/09 season.

2012 saw ‘Dutchy’ return to New Zealand, where he would take up a role as assistant coach of Canterbury’s ITM Cup team while also working with the Crusaders’ academy. His efforts in those roles have now seen him earn his Super Rugby coaching shot.

Munster fans will best remember Holland as an intelligent, durable centre who played a major role in driving the province towards their eventual Heineken Cup titles in 2006 and 2008.

O’Halloran returns to perform for Connacht after making most of injuryMadigan’s place-kicking deciding games for O’Connor’s Leinster