Oli Jager set to be ruled out of Ireland contention after All Blacks XV selection

Former Blackrock College student Oli Jager looks set to be ruled out of contention for representing Ireland after being named in the All Blacks XV squad for their northern hemisphere tour. What amounts to the New Zealand A side, the group will play two fixtures, one against Ireland A at the RDS on Friday, November 4th, and another vs the Barbarians at Twickenham on November 13th.

Should Jager, who was born in London but won JCT and SCT medals with Blackrock, be selected for the matchday squad against Ireland A at the RDS, home of the province he grew up supporting, that would commit his international future to New Zealand, where he has lived for the previous nine years.

World Rugby regulations 8.6 and 8.7 on player eligibility dictate that a player who has played for the next senior fifteen-a-side national representative team of a union is not eligible to play for a different country. Jager only needs to be selected in the matchday squad for his commitment to New Zealand to kick in. The regulations state that an individual is deemed to have played for the next senior national team if selected and present as a replacement, substitute or a playing member, irrespective of game time.

According to a New Zealand Rugby press release, “the All Blacks XV was launched as NZR’s next senior national representative team after the All Blacks, as a critical high-performance pathway to the All Blacks.”

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The Barbarians fixture on November 13th would not have the same ramifications since that is a club fixture rather than an international one.

Jager, who moved to Christchurch after leaving school in 2013 when no place in the Leinster academy was offered to him, has made no secret of his aspirations of playing for the All Blacks. He has become a regular in the Crusaders side that has dominated Super Rugby.

He also played against the British and Irish Lions for the Crusaders during the 2017 tour.

[ Oliver Jager: From the SCT to rubbing shoulders with Kieran Read ]

“I grew up supporting Leinster but you always knew, after watching Super Rugby, the Crusaders were something special,” said the 27-year-old prop last month upon signing a new contract to stay in Christchurch until 2024. “To just have a chance to watch the Crusaders play live would have been something.

“The fact I’ve been able to come into the team and play for them – it’s something I can’t really describe, it’s more than a dream come true, it’s really something special and close to my heart.”

Elsewhere, experienced senior All Blacks TJ Perenara and Brad Weber have also been named in the squad, as has outhalf-cum-fullback Damian McKenzie. He missed out on the full squad after spending the most recent campaign playing in Japan instead of representing the Chiefs in Super Rugby Pacific.

In the forwards, Angus Ta’avao - who was sent off in the second Test last summer following a high hit on Ireland’s Garry Ringrose - Aidan Ross and Patrick Tuipulotu all are included after representing the All Blacks during their series defeat to Andy Farrell’s side.

Bryn Gatland - son of former Wales and British and Irish Lions head coach Warren - has also been named.

All Blacks XV squad for northern hemisphere tour

Forwards: Aidan Ross, Finlay Brewis, Tamaiti Williams, Angus Ta’avao, Oli Jager, Asafo Aumua, Brodie McAllister, George Bell, Patrick Tuipulotu (capt), Josh Dickson, Zach Gallagher, Marino Mikaele-Tu’u, Dominic Gardiner, Billy Harmon, Luke Jacobson, Christian Lio-Wille.

Backs: Brad Weber, TJ Perenara, Cam Roigard, Damian McKenzie, Bryn Gatland, Bryce Heem, Alex Nankivell, Levi Aumua, Bailyn Sullivan, Mark Telea, AJ Lam, Ruben Love.