The Netherlands are one of the most promising sides in the rugby world, and even after their shock defeat to Switzerland at the weekend, fans should expect great things from them.
Among the emerging leaders on the Oranje roster is London Scottish'sMarijn Huis, who has assumed a central role in Bryan Easson’s reforging of the side.
Born and raised in the Netherlands, the utility forward lived in New Zealand for a while before moving to England, where he has been honing his craft for the last eight years.
Huis has developed into a cunning set-piece operator and a formidable tackler who never allows the words “give up” to enter his psyche.
He credits his time in England as a key reason for his growth as a player.
“I’ve grown and developed as a player since I arrived in England,” he states.
“Before coming to the UK, I was in New Zealand for a while, focusing on developing my handling skills.
“However, in England, I found out that forward pack work was more set-piece-oriented, be it how to deal with scrum, lineouts, the dark arts, etc.
“My role as a lock doesn’t allow me to be far away from the breakdown, which lowers the chances of me missing a tackle.
“I’ve spent a lot of time honing my tackle technique, developing my line speed, and getting my feet pointed the right way. However, I do miss tackles. Nobody is perfect!”
Having played for a few sides since he arrived in the UK - including Durham University in BUCS Super Rugby - Huis signed with London Scottish in 2023 and has represented the club for the last three seasons.
And last month, the Dutch utility forward also got the chance to experience the National One environment with Rosslyn Park.
“As I didn’t play any games in December, I asked the staff to allow me to go to Rosslyn Park and grab a few games before the Men’s Rugby Europe Championship,” Huis, 28, explains.
“The club is just down the road, and I thought it was a good chance to keep growing as a player.”
While for some it could be seen as a demotion, for Huis, it was a chance to gain some game time while getting to know a historical club that has been around since 1879.
“I just wanted to enjoy playing rugby and be involved with a team that has good flair and has fun playing, says Huis, who played twice for Rosslyn Park.
“At the same time, I have a few friends from my time in university playing there, which made the experience even more enticing.
“National One offers quite a lot as a playing experience. For example, we faced Blackheath at home in a more open game, then went to Plymouth and faced a team more focused on set pieces and the forward pack on a muddy pitch. I really enjoyed my time there.”
But is there a big gap between the ‘Champ’ and National One?
“I would say that yes, there’s a gap, as National One isn’t as fast as Champ Rugby or as physical,” says the lock.
“At the same time, in Nat 1, you can only tackle below the sternum, whereas in the Champ, you can still tackle below the shoulders.
“I gave up a penalty in one of my games for Rosslyn Park because of it, so you need to adapt to it. However, skills-wise, Nat 1 is at a good level, and you will find a lot of skilful players in there.”
While he enjoyed his short spell with Rosslyn Park, Huis returned to the Richmond Athletic Ground to help London Scottish secure a 27-10 victory over Cambridge before heading off to the Rugby Europe Championship with Holland.
Since then, though, London Scottish have been unable to add to their survival bid, with three successive defeats keeping them in the relegation play-off positions.
With eight games remaining in their campaign, Huis opens up about what the team expects to achieve in the coming months.
“Our goals for the remainder of the season are to win all our home games [vs Chinnor, Coventry, Ampthill and Richmond].
“I am extremely proud to play for such a historical club. It is a challenging setup as we are a part-time team, working on the side and training in the evenings, but the jersey means a lot to many people, including us.”
Now, for those wondering how Huis found himself on these shores, the Dutch international shares a bit about his personal journey, one that starts in the North-East.
“I got a good degree, really enjoyed the rugby, and now I have a good job and still play high-level rugby. For me, it is the best possible combination.”
While playing for Durham might seem like a lifetime ago, he still holds some great memories.
“For Durham, I played possibly my favourite game of all time.
“It was my last game as a Uni player, and we hosted Northumbria. We were already champions, and it was a game we could enjoy to the fullest. I scored a try, as did my best mates, and in the end we lifted the cup. Best day.”
While his life in England seems to be going well, Huis is now doing whatever he can to help the Netherlands get back on track.
After failing to secure a spot in the 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup, the Oranje are going through a deep restructure, one that is needed if they are able to regain their past strength.
“I just want for us to play well, develop our young squad and keep growing as a team,” echoes the lock.
“We have already made some increases after just a few weeks of working as a team. It is realistic for us to push for fifth place in the Men’s Rugby Europe Championship.”
After their 29-23 defeat to Switzerland last weekend, the Netherlands will face Belgium in a ranking semi-final next Saturday before heading to Madrid for the 7th and 5th place finals on March 15.
Despite finishing bottom of Pool A, Huis believes the team showed promise, particularly in their opener against World Cup qualifiers Spain.
“I think the result against Spain [51-33 loss] talks about what his [Bryan Easson’s] vision is for the team.
“We scored five tries, the most we have ever scored in games against Spain, and we have a different approach to our attack.
“We can define it in two words: gamble responsibly. Bryan Easson wants to have a crack and a go, and push our boundaries.
“He is very calm and clear in his communication with us. He is someone who wants us to enjoy playing and is open to talking about the team and our direction.”
As Huis needs to return to his duties as a software developer before hitting the gym, he concludes by discussing his and the Netherlands' future goals.
“To qualify for the 2031 Men’s Rugby World Cup.
“We are still five or six years away, but we aren’t going to sit around and wait. In the short term, it is all about developing and gaining Test match experience for our squad, and our mid-term goal is to beat teams like Spain and Portugal.
“We want to close the gap and earn our place in that World Cup.”
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