Marty Holah
Encyclopedia
Martin Rowan "Marty" Holah (born 10 September 1976 in Hamilton
, New Zealand) is a New Zealand rugby union
player, who has played for Welsh
regional side Ospreys, the Waikato provincial team
and the Chiefs
Super 14
rugby franchise. Holah was capped
in 36 international test matches for the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks
. Holah's contribution to the All Black starting XV was blocked by the emergence of Richie McCaw
, the current All Black captain.
The Waikato flanker
first made his debut for the All Blacks on 16 June 2001 against Samoa
at Albany
. He is known for his ability to steal the ball in the tackle. While he has been in and out of the All Black squad under the current coaching regime, he has continued to be a Waikato and Chiefs mainstay in his home town of Hamilton. Holah was instrumental in the NZ Māori
's defeat of the British and Irish Lions
during the 2005 tour
at his home ground, Waikato Stadium
.
In 2006, Holah was named in the unfamiliar position of blind-side flanker for the Ireland
Test in Hamilton, his first start in the All Black jersey since 2004. The named loose forward
trio of Holah, McCaw and So'oialo
was clearly an experimental one, as all three are considered "flyers", known for their skill at the breakdown rather than explosive ball-carrying.
The sight of Holah being pulled so early in the second half of that Test was certainly an ominous sign for his future in the All Black jersey. On 14 August 2007, it was announced that Holah had signed a two-year contract with the Magners League
champions, the Ospreys. He enjoyed his time there, later signing a one-season extension on his contract. In the 2009/10 season he was named Ospreys' Coaches Player of the Year.
On 18 April 2011 it was announced Holah was returning home to play for Waikato in the 2011 ITM Cup season. Holah is currently a regular member of the starting side for Waikato in the 2011 ITM Cup
.
Hamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...
, New Zealand) is a New Zealand rugby union
Rugby union in New Zealand
Rugby union is the unofficial national sport of New Zealand. Rugby, as it is generally referred to by New Zealanders, is an integral part of New Zealand culture. The national team, the All Blacks, rank as the top international team in the world. The sport was known in New Zealand from 1870, and the...
player, who has played for Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
regional side Ospreys, the Waikato provincial team
Waikato Rugby Union
The Waikato Rugby Union is the official governing body of rugby union in the Waikato area in the North Island of New Zealand. Its senior representative team competes in the ITM Cup , and won the inaugural Air New Zealand Cup in 2006.Waikato Rugby Union was founded in 1921...
and the Chiefs
Chiefs (Super rugby franchise)
The Chiefs are a professional Rugby union team based in Hamilton, New Zealand. Their home ground is Waikato Stadium. The Chiefs play in black, red and yellow coloured jerseys...
Super 14
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
rugby franchise. Holah was capped
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
in 36 international test matches for the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
. Holah's contribution to the All Black starting XV was blocked by the emergence of Richie McCaw
Richie McCaw
Richard Hugh "Richie" McCaw is a New Zealand rugby union player, and is the current test captain. He plays in the openside flanker position for the New Zealand, Crusaders and Canterbury rugby teams...
, the current All Black captain.
The Waikato flanker
Flanker (rugby union)
A flanker is a position in the sport of rugby union. Flankers play in the forwards, and are generally classified as either blindside, or openside flankers; numbers six and seven respectively. The name comes from their position in a scrum in which they flank each set of forwards...
first made his debut for the All Blacks on 16 June 2001 against Samoa
Samoa national rugby union team
The Manu Samoa is the men's representative side of the Samoa Rugby Union in both the 15's and the 7's for international competitions. The Samoa Rugby Union is owned by the affiliated rugby unions of Samoa. In Samoa, Manu Samoa is in honour of a famous Samoan warrior. From 1924 to 1997 Samoa was...
at Albany
Albany, New Zealand
Albany is a northern suburb of Auckland, one of the several cities in northern New Zealand. The name derives from Alba and its Latinisation. It is located to the north of the Waitemata Harbour, 15 kilometres northwest of the Auckland city centre. The suburb is in the Albany ward, one of the...
. He is known for his ability to steal the ball in the tackle. While he has been in and out of the All Black squad under the current coaching regime, he has continued to be a Waikato and Chiefs mainstay in his home town of Hamilton. Holah was instrumental in the NZ Māori
New Zealand Maori rugby union team
New Zealand Māori is a rugby union team that traditionally plays teams touring New Zealand. A prerequisite for playing in this team is that the player is to have Māori whakapapa or genealogy. In the past this rule was not strictly applied. In the past non-Māori players who looked Māori were often...
's defeat of the British and Irish Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
during the 2005 tour
2005 British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand
In 2005 the British and Irish Lions rugby union team toured New Zealand for the first time since 1993, playing 7 tour matches against first and second division clubs from the National Provincial Championship series, 1 tour match against the national New Zealand all Māori club, and 3 official test...
at his home ground, Waikato Stadium
Waikato Stadium
Waikato Stadium is a major sporting and cultural events venue in Hamilton, New Zealand, with a total capacity of 25,800. Four areas contribute to this capacity: The Brian Perry Stand holding 12,000, the WEL Networks Stand holding 8,000, the Goal Line Terrace holding 800 and the Greenzone can hold...
.
In 2006, Holah was named in the unfamiliar position of blind-side flanker for the Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
Test in Hamilton, his first start in the All Black jersey since 2004. The named loose forward
Loose forward
Loose forward may refer to playing positions in both rugby football sports:* Rugby league positions, in rugby league football* Rugby union positions, in rugby union football...
trio of Holah, McCaw and So'oialo
Rodney So'oialo
Rodney So'oialo is a New Zealand rugby union player currently playing in Japan for the Honda Heat. Previously, he had been a stalwart for the Hurricanes in the Super Rugby competition, making 101 appearances for the franchise. He also made 62 test appearances for the All Blacks between 2002 and 2009...
was clearly an experimental one, as all three are considered "flyers", known for their skill at the breakdown rather than explosive ball-carrying.
The sight of Holah being pulled so early in the second half of that Test was certainly an ominous sign for his future in the All Black jersey. On 14 August 2007, it was announced that Holah had signed a two-year contract with the Magners League
Celtic League (rugby union)
The Celtic League is an annual rugby union competition involving professional sides from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
champions, the Ospreys. He enjoyed his time there, later signing a one-season extension on his contract. In the 2009/10 season he was named Ospreys' Coaches Player of the Year.
On 18 April 2011 it was announced Holah was returning home to play for Waikato in the 2011 ITM Cup season. Holah is currently a regular member of the starting side for Waikato in the 2011 ITM Cup
2011 ITM Cup
The 2011 ITM Cup is the 35th provincial rugby union competition in New Zealand, the sixth since the competition reconstruction in 2006 and the second under the new sponsor of ITM ....
.