December 12, 2025 • 11 mins
Head coach Clark Laidlaw anticipates a seamless return to the Hurricanes for Jason Holland.
The 53-year-old, who led the team for four of his eight years with the Canes' prior to his role with the All Blacks, is back as an assistant for the 20-26 Super Rugby Pacific season.
Although it's a demotion since Holland was last with the club, Laidlaw believes pride won't be an issue with him or the other assistant coaches.
He told Piney Holland was excited and passionate about coming in to assist both him and Cooper, another assistant coach, with their roles.
“His passion for making players better and picking apart defences is obvious, so I don’t see any problems or issues with that.”
“We genuinely have loved having him in already this week.”
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Now former All Blacks assistant coach Jason Holland. Having opted
not to seek a contract extension with the All Blacks
after two seasons, Jason Holland will return to the Hurricanes
as an assistant for their twenty twenty six Super Rugby
Pacific campaign. He was previously a Kaine's assistant from twenty
sixteen to twenty nineteen and then four seasons as head
(00:35):
coach before he joined the All Blacks. He joins a
coaching team at the Hurricanes lead by head coach Clarke Laidlaw,
along with his assistants Jamie McIntosh, Corey Jane, Brad Cooper
and Bryn Evans and now Jason Holland as well. Head
coach Clarke Laidlaw is with us great piece of business
to get Jason Holland back into the camp. Clark, how
(00:56):
did this all come about?
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Yeah, it's yeah, it's excitating news for us and certainly
something we're really looking forward to to welcome them back
in the club as.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
Well as we have done this week.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
And yeah, how it came about was alf and I
have continually been in contact.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
Yeah, writings I started the job really, you know, he.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Was one of the first people I met when I
came down to Welton from from the Mount and obviously
with his role with All Blacks, we've often had conversations
and coffee and talked. So yeah, I just reached out
Tom when he decided not to extend with All Blacks
just for a.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
Yard really.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
And shared the idea that you know, we were looking for.
You know that the squads went up to fifty players
with extended wider training groups. We've got two or three
hundred twenties that are here at the minute, so you're
at fifty three. So we were looking for a coach
to come in and support us in some capacity. But
obviously Alfley's previous relationship and connection here and you know,
(02:01):
his obvious expertise and experience. Then you know, that conversation
developed and too to a serious chart around could we
you know, could we make it working? And what was
his plans post All Blacks? And yeah, I guess we've
arrived at today where he's been in two days this
week helping coach.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
So so exciting, it is exciting.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
So what specific responsibilities do you see him having kind
of died to die and across the Super Rugby season.
Speaker 4 (02:27):
Yeah, working with Coops around the attacking game.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
You know, it's a big portfolio when it comes to
all different types of attack and in different ways we
now gain possession. Having Britain, you know, obviously is the
all Blacks line out coach again, between those three really
building our attacking game, you know. So we're walking through
that now with with Coops and Brnn and Alfy and
(02:51):
we genuinely have a real sort of collaborative approach around
of coaching here anyway and try and co coach different
areas of the game. So but yeah, in particular for
him around the you know, the phase attack, counter attack,
turnover attack, the areas that take a lot of work,
a lot of analysis. He can help us with that
and then you know that frees us all up to
(03:12):
to share the workload across the squad.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
This perhaps might be a question for him, but how
do you reckon he'll go coming back into an assistant
role at the time he was head coach at previously.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Yeah, I mean, you're right, it's it's definitely a question
he can answer better than me. But from what I've
seen the last couple of days and the conversations we had,
and I think that was that was probably the clincher,
was his excitement to come in here and assist and
help both me and Coops and our roles. You know,
he was he was really excited and sort of passionate
(03:46):
around that part of the role and his passion for
making players better and.
Speaker 4 (03:52):
Picking defenses apart as obvious.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
So I den't see any any problems or issues with that.
You know, he's a there's no ego, you know, certainly
from my end around him being here before, and you
know we don't see any of that between him and Coops.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
So yeah, I'm I'm all guns blazing on it.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
We genuinely have loved timing the men already this week fantastic.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Were you surprised to left the old Blacks environment?
Speaker 3 (04:22):
To be honest me, I haven't really thought about it,
and I haven't asked them. You know, It's not for
me to to worry too much around that. I'm sure
we have a few coffees and beers through the season,
you know, he might share around someone has thinking, but
in a sort of short term for us, you know,
I haven't given it too much thought, and I just
feel grateful and excited around the opportunity for him to
(04:45):
come here.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
So you're in pre season. Now, what's the schedule between
now when when you play your first game on the
twentieth of February. What's the What are the next sort
of six to white weeks look like for the for
the Hurricanes.
Speaker 4 (04:56):
Yeah, we've got a full week next week.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
We finish up on the Saturday with the traditional sourfter peak.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
I'm sure the players are started to look forward to. Yeah,
so that's the next start.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
They have a breakthrough till the fifth where you know,
remote training obviously for the players and a little break
for the staff over Christmas in New Year, and then
say come back on the fifth and then yeah, with
three weeks planned out, and then the fourth week, as you.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
Say, we play play the Blues up.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
There and in the second preseason the Chiefs out at
Parua is the preseason program, and I think with you know,
we've got buy round one, which you know, I'm not
sure anybody wants to buy round one, but it's allowing
us to have a camp and also allowing us all
blacks and extra week to reintegrate into the squad. So
(05:45):
so yeah, we've got a sort of solid plan through
the camp week and then getting to Majana at home
in round two.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
When do your frontline O Blacks come back in?
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Yeah, the week of the week of the Blues game
is the official date they've got an All Black camp.
I think it's I think it's maybe the ninety into
twentieth of January. They've got the All Black commercial window
where you know they're in and out a bit with
commitments to the commercial window, but alimlely that week we
(06:19):
played the Blues, they're in full time. So again we've
met all the All Blacks. We've had a few in
training in and around the facility, not not with the team,
but you know, doing their own things. So so yeah,
we feel quite clear and planned around that integration. I
think we've managed that a little bit better than maybe
last year's off season. And the bodies are you know,
(06:39):
we had two of these surgeries coming at the back
end of the All Blacks.
Speaker 4 (06:44):
You know, guys like.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Tyrell have had surgeries but obviously had it way earlier.
So we're hopeful all players will be ready fit healthy
by Round two against Mona.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Is it still a learning process pre season. I don't know,
does it ever feel like you'll absolutely nil it and
get it completely right. It just seems like such a
hard thing to get right with Christmas in the middle
of it. It's still bloody hot, all that sort of stuff,
and All Black's coming back a bit lighter. Is it
still a sort of a learning process?
Speaker 3 (07:12):
I think the thing that always changes, mate, is the context.
You know, it was the first year.
Speaker 4 (07:17):
We had had any all Blacks.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
Everybody was here from day one apart from two players
were ripped.
Speaker 4 (07:22):
In and started the season really well.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Last year we had loads of surgeries, guys injured out
with All Black fifteen all Blacks, so that context was
completely different. So between the two A certainly fuel this
year as a staff, we've been more prepared and ready
to adapt and change based on the context.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
So I've really enjoyed the work the staff.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
I've done, the thought of put into what content we
use pre Christmas for a rugby we're trying to get
a little bit more organized from our structure perspective that'll
allow us to accelerate different areas after Christmas. So yeah,
the context is always different, mate, But you know, third
year in I certainly feel the cohesiveness of the coaching
(08:04):
group and s and season physio. I've allowed us to
be prepared for the different types of scenarios and contacts,
and I feel like we'd have had at the wave.
Are we better owned where we wore? Maybe last year?
Speaker 2 (08:16):
In particular, good man Clark, Well, good piece of business
getting Jason Holland back into the camp. Look forward to
catching up in twenty twenty six as the season draws closer.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
Sounds good, mate, see you that, see you.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Then, Clark. Thanks indeed. Clark laid Law coach of the Hurricanes,
head coach joined by Jason Holland, former head coach of
the team, former assistant coach of the All Blacks. It's yeah,
everything you've like, I've had a I live in Hurricanes territory,
and everything I've seen from Clark laid Law is completely collaborative.
(08:50):
He he you know what he said there. He will
be completely unthreatened by Jason Holland coming in. Some head
coaches might have been all jeep, as this guy want
my job. He was he had this job. He might be,
you know, angling to get the head coaching job back.
Clark laid Law won't feel that at all. It's just
I reckon he'll be stoked to have Jason Holland back.
The two of them clearly get on very well, have
(09:12):
stayed in touch in the time since Jason Holland's gone
into the All Blacks and Clark's been the Hurricanes coach,
and now they get to work together. Jason Holland loves
the Hurricanes and loves the game of rugby. I think
this is brilliant for him and it also again raises
questions about what on earth happened inside that All Blacks
coaching environment for a guy who loves the game of
(09:35):
rugby as much as Jason Holland does. Look, here's a
guy who, when he was Hurricanes' head coach, if the
Hurricanes didn't have a game, he'd go and watch a
club game. He'd drive up to Palmerston North to his
old stamping ground up there and watch a club game.
He absolutely loves the game of rugby and coaching the
game of rugby and being involved in the game of rugby.
(09:55):
And when you reach the very top of coaching in
New Zealand, which is being part of the All Blacks
coaching set up, and then you voluntarily elect to leave
that environment, it leaves a lot of unanswered questions. I
was really interested to read Liam Napier in the New
Zealand Herald today under the headline pressure builds on All
(10:18):
Blacks coaches as internal frustrations emerge. I would urge you
to have a read of that if you're a Rugby fan.
First couple of paragraphs from Liam New Zealand Rugby is
court at a delicate crossroads as it digs into the
shaky state of the All Blacks. No one expected the
All Blacks to be here attempting to address an unhappy
(10:40):
camp and amend underwhelming performances midway through this four year cycle.
It's a really telling piece from Liam Napier, who probably
more than most understands the inner workings of the All
Blacks and the All Blacks coaching setup. But for Jason Holland,
he's back in an environment which he loved before and
(11:02):
I'm sure will love again. And I think all Hurricanes
fans almost unequivocal you have welcomed him back with open arms.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
For more from Weekends Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to news talks at b Weekends from midday or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio,
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Now former All Blacks assistant coach Jason Holland. Having opted
not to seek a contract extension with the All Blacks
after two seasons, Jason Holland will return to the Hurricanes
as an assistant for their twenty twenty six Super Rugby
Pacific campaign. He was previously a Kaine's assistant from twenty
sixteen to twenty nineteen and then four seasons as head
(00:35):
coach before he joined the All Blacks. He joins a
coaching team at the Hurricanes lead by head coach Clarke Laidlaw,
along with his assistants Jamie McIntosh, Corey Jane, Brad Cooper
and Bryn Evans and now Jason Holland as well. Head
coach Clarke Laidlaw is with us great piece of business
to get Jason Holland back into the camp. Clark, how
(00:56):
did this all come about?
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Yeah, it's yeah, it's excitating news for us and certainly
something we're really looking forward to to welcome them back
in the club as.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
Well as we have done this week.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
And yeah, how it came about was alf and I
have continually been in contact.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
Yeah, writings I started the job really, you know, he.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Was one of the first people I met when I
came down to Welton from from the Mount and obviously
with his role with All Blacks, we've often had conversations
and coffee and talked. So yeah, I just reached out
Tom when he decided not to extend with All Blacks
just for a.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
Yard really.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
And shared the idea that you know, we were looking for.
You know that the squads went up to fifty players
with extended wider training groups. We've got two or three
hundred twenties that are here at the minute, so you're
at fifty three. So we were looking for a coach
to come in and support us in some capacity. But
obviously Alfley's previous relationship and connection here and you know,
(02:01):
his obvious expertise and experience. Then you know, that conversation
developed and too to a serious chart around could we
you know, could we make it working? And what was
his plans post All Blacks? And yeah, I guess we've
arrived at today where he's been in two days this
week helping coach.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
So so exciting, it is exciting.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
So what specific responsibilities do you see him having kind
of died to die and across the Super Rugby season.
Speaker 4 (02:27):
Yeah, working with Coops around the attacking game.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
You know, it's a big portfolio when it comes to
all different types of attack and in different ways we
now gain possession. Having Britain, you know, obviously is the
all Blacks line out coach again, between those three really
building our attacking game, you know. So we're walking through
that now with with Coops and Brnn and Alfy and
(02:51):
we genuinely have a real sort of collaborative approach around
of coaching here anyway and try and co coach different
areas of the game. So but yeah, in particular for
him around the you know, the phase attack, counter attack,
turnover attack, the areas that take a lot of work,
a lot of analysis. He can help us with that
and then you know that frees us all up to
(03:12):
to share the workload across the squad.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
This perhaps might be a question for him, but how
do you reckon he'll go coming back into an assistant
role at the time he was head coach at previously.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Yeah, I mean, you're right, it's it's definitely a question
he can answer better than me. But from what I've
seen the last couple of days and the conversations we had,
and I think that was that was probably the clincher,
was his excitement to come in here and assist and
help both me and Coops and our roles. You know,
he was he was really excited and sort of passionate
(03:46):
around that part of the role and his passion for
making players better and.
Speaker 4 (03:52):
Picking defenses apart as obvious.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
So I den't see any any problems or issues with that.
You know, he's a there's no ego, you know, certainly
from my end around him being here before, and you
know we don't see any of that between him and Coops.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
So yeah, I'm I'm all guns blazing on it.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
We genuinely have loved timing the men already this week fantastic.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Were you surprised to left the old Blacks environment?
Speaker 3 (04:22):
To be honest me, I haven't really thought about it,
and I haven't asked them. You know, It's not for
me to to worry too much around that. I'm sure
we have a few coffees and beers through the season,
you know, he might share around someone has thinking, but
in a sort of short term for us, you know,
I haven't given it too much thought, and I just
feel grateful and excited around the opportunity for him to
(04:45):
come here.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
So you're in pre season. Now, what's the schedule between
now when when you play your first game on the
twentieth of February. What's the What are the next sort
of six to white weeks look like for the for
the Hurricanes.
Speaker 4 (04:56):
Yeah, we've got a full week next week.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
We finish up on the Saturday with the traditional sourfter peak.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
I'm sure the players are started to look forward to. Yeah,
so that's the next start.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
They have a breakthrough till the fifth where you know,
remote training obviously for the players and a little break
for the staff over Christmas in New Year, and then
say come back on the fifth and then yeah, with
three weeks planned out, and then the fourth week, as you.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
Say, we play play the Blues up.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
There and in the second preseason the Chiefs out at
Parua is the preseason program, and I think with you know,
we've got buy round one, which you know, I'm not
sure anybody wants to buy round one, but it's allowing
us to have a camp and also allowing us all
blacks and extra week to reintegrate into the squad. So
(05:45):
so yeah, we've got a sort of solid plan through
the camp week and then getting to Majana at home
in round two.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
When do your frontline O Blacks come back in?
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Yeah, the week of the week of the Blues game
is the official date they've got an All Black camp.
I think it's I think it's maybe the ninety into
twentieth of January. They've got the All Black commercial window
where you know they're in and out a bit with
commitments to the commercial window, but alimlely that week we
(06:19):
played the Blues, they're in full time. So again we've
met all the All Blacks. We've had a few in
training in and around the facility, not not with the team,
but you know, doing their own things. So so yeah,
we feel quite clear and planned around that integration. I
think we've managed that a little bit better than maybe
last year's off season. And the bodies are you know,
(06:39):
we had two of these surgeries coming at the back
end of the All Blacks.
Speaker 4 (06:44):
You know, guys like.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Tyrell have had surgeries but obviously had it way earlier.
So we're hopeful all players will be ready fit healthy
by Round two against Mona.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Is it still a learning process pre season. I don't know,
does it ever feel like you'll absolutely nil it and
get it completely right. It just seems like such a
hard thing to get right with Christmas in the middle
of it. It's still bloody hot, all that sort of stuff,
and All Black's coming back a bit lighter. Is it
still a sort of a learning process?
Speaker 3 (07:12):
I think the thing that always changes, mate, is the context.
You know, it was the first year.
Speaker 4 (07:17):
We had had any all Blacks.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
Everybody was here from day one apart from two players
were ripped.
Speaker 4 (07:22):
In and started the season really well.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Last year we had loads of surgeries, guys injured out
with All Black fifteen all Blacks, so that context was
completely different. So between the two A certainly fuel this
year as a staff, we've been more prepared and ready
to adapt and change based on the context.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
So I've really enjoyed the work the staff.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
I've done, the thought of put into what content we
use pre Christmas for a rugby we're trying to get
a little bit more organized from our structure perspective that'll
allow us to accelerate different areas after Christmas. So yeah,
the context is always different, mate, But you know, third
year in I certainly feel the cohesiveness of the coaching
(08:04):
group and s and season physio. I've allowed us to
be prepared for the different types of scenarios and contacts,
and I feel like we'd have had at the wave.
Are we better owned where we wore? Maybe last year?
Speaker 2 (08:16):
In particular, good man Clark, Well, good piece of business
getting Jason Holland back into the camp. Look forward to
catching up in twenty twenty six as the season draws closer.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
Sounds good, mate, see you that, see you.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Then, Clark. Thanks indeed. Clark laid Law coach of the Hurricanes,
head coach joined by Jason Holland, former head coach of
the team, former assistant coach of the All Blacks. It's yeah,
everything you've like, I've had a I live in Hurricanes territory,
and everything I've seen from Clark laid Law is completely collaborative.
(08:50):
He he you know what he said there. He will
be completely unthreatened by Jason Holland coming in. Some head
coaches might have been all jeep, as this guy want
my job. He was he had this job. He might be,
you know, angling to get the head coaching job back.
Clark laid Law won't feel that at all. It's just
I reckon he'll be stoked to have Jason Holland back.
The two of them clearly get on very well, have
(09:12):
stayed in touch in the time since Jason Holland's gone
into the All Blacks and Clark's been the Hurricanes coach,
and now they get to work together. Jason Holland loves
the Hurricanes and loves the game of rugby. I think
this is brilliant for him and it also again raises
questions about what on earth happened inside that All Blacks
coaching environment for a guy who loves the game of
(09:35):
rugby as much as Jason Holland does. Look, here's a
guy who, when he was Hurricanes' head coach, if the
Hurricanes didn't have a game, he'd go and watch a
club game. He'd drive up to Palmerston North to his
old stamping ground up there and watch a club game.
He absolutely loves the game of rugby and coaching the
game of rugby and being involved in the game of rugby.
(09:55):
And when you reach the very top of coaching in
New Zealand, which is being part of the All Blacks
coaching set up, and then you voluntarily elect to leave
that environment, it leaves a lot of unanswered questions. I
was really interested to read Liam Napier in the New
Zealand Herald today under the headline pressure builds on All
(10:18):
Blacks coaches as internal frustrations emerge. I would urge you
to have a read of that if you're a Rugby fan.
First couple of paragraphs from Liam New Zealand Rugby is
court at a delicate crossroads as it digs into the
shaky state of the All Blacks. No one expected the
All Blacks to be here attempting to address an unhappy
(10:40):
camp and amend underwhelming performances midway through this four year cycle.
It's a really telling piece from Liam Napier, who probably
more than most understands the inner workings of the All
Blacks and the All Blacks coaching setup. But for Jason Holland,
he's back in an environment which he loved before and
(11:02):
I'm sure will love again. And I think all Hurricanes
fans almost unequivocal you have welcomed him back with open arms.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
For more from Weekends Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to news talks at b Weekends from midday or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio,
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