A 22-year-old Dutchman, who moved to New Zealand alone at the age of 16 because of his love of rugby, has been selected for the New Zealand national rugby team — the world-famous All Blacks.

Fabian Holland from Castricum told the AD in an interview that his call up “was pretty emotional.” It was, he says, a “moment to reflect on all the sacrifices I’ve had to make.”

His dream began in 2014, when a 14-year-old Holland appeared in a junior television news segment during a visit by the All Black Sevens to Castricum. He was struck by the presence of top players training on the very pitch where he had fallen in love with the sport. “I told myself then: I want to be part of that one day.”

But talent wasn’t his strongest asset — according to both Holland and his former youth coaches. Standing 2.04 metres tall and weighing 120 kilos, he’s an imposing figure, but he attributes only 20% of his success to natural ability.

The rest, he says, is down to mindset. “Fabian would be out on the pitch long before training started,” recalls coach Mats Marcker. “I practically had to drag him off.”

At 16, Holland moved to New Zealand alone. What was meant to be a six-month trial quickly turned into a gruelling, years-long journey marked by setbacks, homesickness and relentless hard work.

The Covid pandemic made it even tougher — for two and a half years, he couldn’t see his family. “That was my biggest challenge so far,” he said.

Now, as part of the All Blacks squad, next month he is likely to wear the famous black shirt and perform the haka — a childhood dream come true, as New Zealand take on France in three matches.

But this, Holland says, is just the beginning. “I want to leave a legacy in this sport. Hopefully I’ll play another 15 years at the top. And after that? Maybe France or Japan… though I can see myself staying in New Zealand too.”

In Castricum, he’s already a local hero. “The kids no longer dream of South Africa or New Zealand,” says Marcker. “They want to be Fabian Holland.”