Yes – he is Dutch (= from the Netherlands)

As it happens, I was (for a tiny bit!) part of his journey and it is great to see all this happen to this wonderful player and his family! We all know the story by now – move to New Zealand, make into the schoolteam, get noticed, progress through the Highlanders academy program, sign-up for Super Rugby and then his debut against France this summer. Fairy Tale stuff and you wonder: is it this simple, what does it take?

What does it take?

On October 9th in 2009, the IOC announced rugby to be part of the Rio Olympics in 2016. Our NOC looked at the ranking of the last Women’s European Cup and told us we were eligible for Olympics status and they would support us in a full time program! I was deeply involved in our Academy Program and we sat together to discuss how to get organised for this. Benchmarking is my thing: do at least what the team you want to compete with is doing. So we also did want to benchmark against the best program in the World – Gordon Tietjens New Zealand Sevens – I popped the idea to call him. Mats did and surprisingly he got involved! He liked our ambition and also used it as leverage in his meetings with the NZRFU. Mats eventually went over and got more direction. With the Common Wealth Games in Glasgow in 2015 he asked Gordon to fly to the Netherlands and do the final prep here and then hop over to Scotland and he did that too! I took time off from work and was driver of the AB 7s team and could absorb it all.

Enter Fabian Holland, playing in the Under 10s at that time and getting exposure to this dedicated group of professional players and coaches working extremely hard to become the best possible Self and maximise team performance. Fabian’s kiwi coach taught about NZ rugby, Maori culture and learned them the Haka. The AB 7s visit was an insprirational moment for Fabian, his family, Castricumse R.C and yours truly.

Advancing through the NL academy Program and pathway

With the support of our NOC we were setting up this rugby academy program as part of specialised secondary schools in the Netherlands and Fabian happily joined, training an additional 4-5 times a week, soaking up all the stuff that was thrown at him. We made general athletism a big part of this academy program with running form, judo and more being mixed in. It was a pioneering time for us but through players like Fabian we felt we were building for success.

Move to New Zealand

Having played in the National Under 17 and making an impact, there was a big moment and decision time. The dream: become an All Black player, what does it take? Move to New Zealand obviously, but when? Fabian and his family decided to sent him to the other side of the world, found a high school program in Dunedin and good luck!

I vividly remember that heart broke LinkedIn message of his mum, desperate to visit her son while the world was in COVID lock down. It must have been tough for Fabian and his family. But then also this: a photo of him with Kieran Reid and him already being bigger! We heard about the video message from Brodi to Fabian, it all felt it was going to happen. The rest is already history. A Dutch kid dreaming big and making it to the All Black 15s.

What does it take?

• For Fabian it was was love for rugby, being part of a loving supporting family, his hard work and the right things around him happened I suppose. Oh yes, being 2.04 meters tall helps too but it sooo much more than that;
• Bart and Mats dreamt big too and managed to get the AB7s to their club;
• For Gordon it was about his difficult relationship with the NZRFU and their 15’s priorities;
• Our ambitious academy program is delivering great players, but Netherlands still not able to make that next step up, third place in the Under18 and second in the Under20 this year (should we benchmark Belgium & Portugal?);
• Dutch women 7s did not qualify for the Rio Olympics, dreams shattered and an big opportunity lost for Dutch Rugby with our NOC withdrawing from it all;

What is your dream, what does it take for you to make it come through? Let us cherish Fabian’s success and enjoy being part of his future journey! Let me know if you are interesting in that benchmarking thing, I have nice format for you.

Graphics: www.allblacks.com

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