Rugby: Holwell comes out of retirement for Northland

Veteran first-five David Holwell has been named on the bench for Northland. Photo / Northern Advocate

Veteran Northland first five-eighth David Holwell is in line for a surprise 250th first class rugby appearance after emerging from retirement this week.

Holwell, 34, was a shock inclusion on the reserve bench of the Northland team to play Southland in Invercargill on Thursday.

Five months after telling coach Bryce Woodward he wouldn't be available for the Air NZ Cup, Holwell has had a change of heart following a stint of club rugby.

Woodward told the Southland Times that Holwell was an automatic inclusion after voicing his desire to return.

"I had to go through the process and talk to the players in the squad that it would impact," Woodward said.

"They all were supportive of getting David back involved."

Lachie Munro remains the starting first five-eighth for Northland, who are 12th after five rounds, after losing their third game on Friday.

Holwell has also played for Wellington, where he was part of the 2000 NPC winning team, and the Hurricanes for whom he made 76 appearances, scoring 676 Super rugby points.

After he returned to Northland, he answered a call from the Blues in 2007 to fill the No 10 spot.

He had two stints with Irish club Leinster in the 2004-05 season, when he scored 282 points and then again last year after a late call up.

He is the holder of two Leinster records from his season with the province - the most individual points scored in a Celtic League game (26 against Llanelli) and the most individual points in a Heineken Cup game (29 against Bourgoin).

Northland
Jared Payne (captain), Brook Gilmore, Damian Fakafanua, Derek Carpenter, Rene Ranger, Lachie Munro, Rhyan Caine, Cameron Eyre, Joel McKenty, Roy Griffin, Cam Jowitt, Daniel Goodwin, Karl Haitana, Mikaele Tuu'u, Bronson Murray

Reserves: Tim Dow, Matt Wallis, Michael Farmer, Matt Clutterbuck, Luke Hamilton, David Holwell, Jon Elrick.

- NZPA