Former Munster player Jason Holland to join New Zealand coaching team

BIG GIG: Hurricanes coach Jason Holland will join the New Zealand coaching ticket next year. Pic: Joe Allison/Getty Images)

Former Munster player Jason Holland will be part of New Zealand's coaching team under Scott Robertson after this year's World Cup.

Robertson will bring in Wellington Hurricanes head coach Holland and Auckland Blues boss John MacDonald, together with Scott Hansen, currently his assistant with the Crusaders.

MacDonald will organise the All Blacks’ attack with assistance from Holland, who spent 13 years at Munster as both player and coach, while Hansen will be in charge of defence.

Incumbent forwards coach Jason Ryan will stay on as will Nic Gill who has been with the All Blacks since 2008 and will remain head of performance.

Robertson will take over from Ian Foster after the World Cup with the group to take up their respective roles in 2024.

Robertson called the coaching team 'a highly talented and motivated group'.

“I’ve known Jason [Ryan], Leon, Scott, Alfie [Holland] and Gilly for a long time and worked with them all at times during my playing and coaching career. They are a highly talented and motivated group who will bring different strengths to the table and who share a similar philosophy on the game.

“Like myself with the Crusaders, I know they all have important work to do in 2023 and their main focus will be on their current job in hand, but we will be ready to go from 2024.”

Holland lined out for Munster between 1999 and 2008, making over 100 appearances, and took charge of the Hurricanes in 2020.

“It’s pretty humbling to be asked to contribute to the All Blacks legacy and it’s something every New Zealand coach aspires to, so it is an exciting challenge, said Holland. "I’ve known Razor for a long time and I’m looking forward to continuing that relationship in 2024. In the meantime, I’ll be putting everything into the Hurricanes Super Rugby Pacific campaign.”