Fabian Holland: 'I'm excited to rip in, body feels mint'

23-year-old Highlanders lock Fabian Holland is back in the All Blacks mix after missing the whole of the Super Rugby Pacific season through a shoulder injury.

The reigning World Rugby Men’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year was named in Dave Rennie’s All Blacks squad for the Greatest Rivalry Tour, as one of the ten additional players.

Rennie added ten players to his original 34-man Nations Championship squad for the upcoming tour of South Africa, which included Holland, after his 40-minute hit-out for Otago on Friday against Mid Canterbury.

Holland had not played a professional game of rugby since Super Rugby Pacific pre-season, where the 23-year-old picked up a season-ending shoulder injury against Moana Pasifika on February 6.

But, five months later, his shoulder rehab is complete, and the six-foot-eight, 120kg lock is raring to go in the black jersey.

“Yeah, always extremely grateful to be part of the team again, and yeah, had a bit of a rehab journey for five months. But extremely excited to be part of the team again, and it’s never given,” Holland told Millsy & Guy on Sport Nation.

“So yeah, just good to get to work, I’m excited to rip in, body feels mint.”

Holland said it’s been a tough road back from injury, and that he had to adjust his mindset throughout the journey.

“I guess like when you first do the injury, you go through a bit of an emotional roller coaster. But yeah, it was quite a journey, to be honest.

“I just tried to try to frame it a bit differently. Tried to make the most out of those five months and try to frame it in a way where I can see there’s an opportunity to do better in those five months, instead of just kind of waiting out those five months of just trying to sit out.

“But yeah, so I have great medical staff around me, a great S&C team around me, and I’m just happy to be back where I am at.”

Despite not featuring for the Highlanders in the 2026 season, the 12-Test lock is confident he can hit the ground running in the All Blacks environment, no matter what role he’s needed to fill.

“Well, it’s whatever Rennie and team have in mind for me. I’m just focusing on getting ready for whatever they throw at me, and just trying to contribute to the team.

“But yeah, mentally, I’m just ready for anything. Physically, I’m ready for anything. I’m just keen to contribute, and yeah, look forward to ripping in.”

The All Blacks have begun the new era under Rennie playing an attacking style of rugby, one that involves the tight-five forwards being able to ball-play with passes out the back, and short tip-ons to teammates.

Holland, who burst onto the scene in 2025 for the All Blacks and the Highlanders, told Sport Nation that it’s been an exciting brand of rugby to watch, one that has suited the All Blacks in the past.

“I think it’s just an exciting way to play the game, obviously, going back to what we as All Blacks pride ourselves on, using our skill, playing with speed, and then having a crack.

“It’s pretty exciting footy, and it’s a good foundation we’ve set, and now we’re just trying to build from what the boys did in the Nations Championship, and take it to South Africa, play to our strengths.”