Marty Holah

Marty Holah

Full name	Martin Rowan Holah
Date of birth	10 September 1976 (1976-09-10) (age 35)
Place of birth	Hamilton, New Zealand
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	101 kg (15 st 13 lb)
Nickname	Marty
School	St John's College
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Flanker
New Zealand No.	999
Professional / senior clubs
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2007–2011	Ospreys	90	(10)
correct as of 18 April 2011.
Provincial/State sides
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
1999–2007, 2011–	Waikato	73	(40)
Super Rugby
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2001–2007	Chiefs	69	(10)
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2001–2006	New Zealand NZ Maori	36	(15)

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.^[1]

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.^{[citation needed]}

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.^[2] 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.^[3] Holah is currently a regular member of the starting side for Waikato in the 2011 ITM Cup.

References

1. ^ Player profile: Marty Holah at allblacks.com
2. ^ Giles Mole and agencies (14 August 2007). "Ospreys sign Marty Holah". Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2007/08/14/urospreys114.xml. Retrieved 15 September 2007. 
3. ^ "Holah back with Waikato". The New Zealand Herald. 18 April 2011. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=10720079&ref=rss. Retrieved 18 April 2011. 

External links

• Marty Holah at AllBlacks.com
• Ospreys Profile

Persondata
Name	Holah, Marty
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	10 September 1976
Place of birth	Hamilton
Date of death
Place of death