Munster confirm signing of Oli Jager on long-term deal

Munster have announced the signing of prop Oli Jager from the Crusaders, with the 28-year-old agreeing a three-and-a-half year contract with the province.

Jager is set to link up with his new side at the start of December, ahead of their Investec Champions Cup campaign.

Graham Rowntree's side had been expected to confirm the tighthead prop's arrival, after it was revealed he would be given an early release from his contract at the Super Rugby champions last week.

Jager, who grew up in Kildare, had been based in New Zealand since 2013 and won five Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders since making his debut in 2017.

Munster have long been admirers of the prop, having previously made approaches to bring him back to Ireland.

In an interview with RTÉ Sport in 2021, Jager revealed his ambitions to stay in New Zealand in pursuit of a Test career with the All Blacks, but while he was previously called up to the non-capped 'All Blacks XV' in 2022 and 2023, he was forced with withdraw from those squads due to injury and personal reasons respectively.

Born in London, Jager grew up in Kildare where he attended Newbridge College and later Blackrock College in Dublin, where he played alongside his future Munster team-mate Jeremy Loughman.

After missing out on a place in Leinster's Academy, Jager moved to New Zealand at the age of 18 where he joined up with the Crusaders International High Performance Unit, making his Super Rugby debut at the start of the 2017 season.

In seven seasons, he made 51 appearances for the side, and had been first choice tighthead for Scott Robertson's team in each of the last two campaigns. On top of five Super Rugby titles, he also won the Super Rugby Aotearoa championship in 2020 and 2021.

Jager (above) will