Who is Tyrone Holmes?
Whilst Western Province continue to get plenty of heat for losing players, to local teams and abroad, there is a good-news story emerging in the Cape in the form of new Stormers loose forward Tyrone Holmes.
Holmes was on Wednesday named in the Stormers team – to face the Lions on Saturday – in what will be his Super Rugby debut.
It also happens to be a very deserving debut for yet another member of the Vodacom Cup-winning WP side.
At first glance it would be accurate to label him a late bloomer, given that he is already 26, but the Hamilton's star has actually been on the WP scene for some time.
Holmes, who attended Fish Hoek High School, played for the WP Under-21 team in 2007, before making his Vodacom Cup debut for the Blue & Whites in 2008.
He joined Griquas in 2008 and played three matches for the Kimberley-based union, before moving abroad to the United Kingdom where he had stints with Penzance and Cornish Pirates in England's first division.
Since returning to Cape Town in 2011, Holmes rejoined Hamilton's and worked his way back into the WP set-up, culminating in him being an ever-present in the Province back-row during the 2012 Vodacom Cup.
His coach in the Vodacom Cup, John Dobson, speaks very highly of "a committed and physical flanker who is very adept at playing to the ball but also doing his job as a ball-carrier".
Said Dobson to this website: "Tyrone's an old-school, hard-as-nails flanker.
"He's had to work very hard for his shot at Super Rugby and I couldn't be happier for him. It also goes to show that club players can break through and it's a credit to both Tyrone and the system here that he's been given this opportunity."
Holmes will line up alongside UCT's Don Armand in the Stormers back row, with Springbok wider group squad member Siya Kolisi capping off this new-look loose trio for the Super Rugby log-leaders.
Armand, of course, has also done his time on the WP club scene, having played Varsity Cup rugby since 2008 and helping the Ikeys to an historic WP Super League club title last season.
Both Holmes and Armand recently signed contracts with Western Province and look to feature for the 'Streeptruie' in the 2012 Currie Cup.
