Holt’s supporters are delighted with the performances of the First XV this season: the team has now won nine games in a row scoring over 40 tries in the process and lie third in the London 3E table. Much has been down to the new faces that have emerged through the Colts, but one key factor has been the form of their ever-present scrum half and former captain, Bruce van Poortvliet.
Bruce comes from a farming family based at Banningham. His father Neil captained Holt for two seasons in the 1970s and brother Jake had four spells as captain starting in 2003. Leadership clearly runs in the family and Bruce was the Holt First XV captain in 2012, 13 and 14 and currently captains the Norfolk’s team in the county championship
He came up though the Holt junior ranks and over time converted from a flanker to a centre and eventually ended up as scrum-half. His father Neil, a second row, says that Bruce is much faster than the rest of the family. Scrum-half is the player who has more of the ball in hand more than any other; given the consistency of his appearances, Bruce will have orchestrated more attacks for Holt than anyone else in recent memory. His ability to see a gap round a ruck, and use the opportunity to make a break, has lead to some impressive tries, notably a scintillating solo effort against Crusaders in Holt’s last game. Modestly Bruce attributes much of his skill development to help from his cousin, England and Lions scrum-half, Ben Youngs and his father Nick Youngs.
Except for a period at agricultural college, a season at North Walsham, and a season off recovering from a neck injury, Bruce has been a Holt regular for over a decade. He played every game last season and has repeated this record so far this season. He is not big for a scrum-half but, in the words of coach Ed Steed, “is one of those players who can bounce off a brick wall”. Bruce attributes his robustness to the fitness demanded by working on the farm every day.
His positive attitude towards rugby is immensely valued by his colleagues “You need to be realistic about the level at which you can play and just enjoy rugby wherever you are”.
Providing he can keep serious injury at bay, everyone at Holt hopes that he will be at Bridge Road regular for seasons to come. At 30 Bruce has many good years of Rugby ahead of him. He has one remaining ambition: he would like to play in the same Holt First XV as his sister’s son, Nicholas who is currently an energetic 13 year old with the Club’s junior teams.
Holt’s First XV coach, Ed Steed, is unstinting in his praise: “Bruce consistently performs at a high level. He has a unique running ability especially in tight areas. His well balanced, evasive style and ability to shake off would be tacklers is second to none making him a potent threat from the base of the scrum and round the fringes at the break down. Coupled with his powerful tackling Bruce is the sort of scrum-half that oppositions have nightmares about”.

This article first appeared, in a slightly different version, in the North Norfolk News (23rd November 2017). Text Martyn Sloman; picture Stuart Young.