Fiona Hayes: 'Oli Jager can bring fresh impetus to Ireland’s front row'

In attendance at Virgin Media Park in Cork ahead of VMTV’s coverage of the 2024 Six Nations, is Virgin Media Television analyst Fiona Hayes.

Munster signing Oli Jager can bring a fresh impetus to Ireland’s front row selection mix following his call up to Andy Farrell’s Six Nations training squad, according to Grand Slam winner Fiona Hayes.

The former Ireland front rower was speaking at Virgin Media Park yesterday, ahead of VMTV’s coverage of the 2024 Six Nations, which kicks off two weeks tonight when Ireland visit the Velodrome in Marseille to play France.

Tigthead prop Jager, who joined Munster from Super Rugby champions Crusaders in November, has been named as a training panellist alongside Munster lock Tom Ahern and Leinster fly-half Sam Prendergast and the trio will travel to Portugal next Wednesday with the squad for a training camp on the Algarve.

For the 6ft 4ins tall, 20 stones Jager, 28, that means training alongside established tightheads Tadhg Furlong, Finlay Bealham and Tom O’Toole after just four Munster appearances yet Hayes is not surprised he has been given the opportunity.

“Oli Jager, he’s been watched over a long time,” Hayes said. “There was talk of him getting capped by the All Blacks around World Cup time so to hear that after that he was a signing, it’s an area Ireland would prefer to have more strength in depth in.

“I would have watched him with the Crusaders for a couple of seasons and scrummaging-wise he’s exceptional… his scrummaging, he’s really learned how we do things over on this side and for him to be brought into camp shows he’s been watched.

“He’s someone they’ve had their eye on and they’ve got their man… when we look at the front row in Ireland in particular you could almost pick the starters and the bench for the last couple of seasons and I think having Oli Jager in the mix changes up that picture.”