Munster hero Jason Holland sharpening the teeth of the Hurricanes

As attack and backs coach at Super Rugby’s reigning champions the Hurricanes, Jason Holland has some pretty special talent at his disposal and as the former Munster hero sees it, there is no better place to be as he continues to cut his coaching teeth.

Beauden Barrett

Winning the southern hemisphere’s greatest club prize in his first season on the Hurricanes coaching ticket under head coach Chris Boyd and alongside former Ireland forwards coach John Plumtree makes for an impressive strike rate for the 44-year-old and working with players of the calibre of Beauden Barrett and younger brother Jordie Barrett, wings Julian Savea and Nehe Milner-Skudder scrum-half TJ Perenara as well as newest All Blacks centre call-up Ngani Laumape is more than just a privilege for a young coach. It is also an opportunity.

Moving into coaching under Tony McGahan at Munster was a natural transition but Holland admits being backs coach to his long-standing former team-mates was not an ideal introduction to the role.