New Zealand's European-born duo complete unlikely journeys to test rugby

Nov 5 : New Zealand internationals Fabian Holland and Anton Segner return to Europe this month for the Nations Championship after remarkably similar journeys into test rugby from unexpected origins.

Dutch-born Holland, 24, and German Segner, 25, are both part of the All Blacks squad for their Nations Championship clashes against Scotland, Wales and England this month and the final weekend at Twickenham from November 27-29, having taken an extraordinary path to the pinnacle of the sport.

Both moved to New Zealand as teenagers to further their fledgling rugby careers from countries where the game has little visibility and professional opportunities are severely limited.

They were both All Blacks fans - Segner practising the haka at his home in Frankfurt and Holland's mother taking her 10-year-old son to Murrayfield to watch the All Blacks in November 2012 where the Dutch-born winger Tim Visser scored two tries for the home side in a 51-22 defeat. 

"He was my inspiration by showing that you didn't have to play for the Netherlands if you were Dutch-born," said Holland, who started playing rugby at the age of six in his home town Akersloot in the north of the Netherlands.

New Zealand are back in Edinburgh this Saturday to take on Scotland at the start of the month-long Nations Championship fixtures.

TRANSFIXED BY ALL BLACKS AURA

Holland was transfixed by the All Blacks: “Their aura, what they stand for and how they play,” he recalled.

Seeking to expand his career, at 16 he asked to attend Christchurch Boys’ High, some 19,000km from home, for six months to absorb the rugby culture at a school that has produced a myriad of internationals, not least Dan Carter.

His size, skill set and pace impressed and six months became two years. After