Hautapu Sports Club front rower Ollie Norris is one of five new faces in the All Blacks squad selected to face France in June.
Norris (25) joins another Hautapu player, loose forward Luke Jacobson, in the 35-player squad for the three tests to be played in Dunedin, Wellington and Hamilton.
New Zealand coach Scott Robertson opted for Norris to contest the No 1 shirt with Ethan de Groot and Tamaiti Williams, after injury ruled out Ofa Tu’ungafasi.
Norris has previously played for the All Blacks XV selection.
Main photo: Ollie Norris … earns his first call-up to the national team.
READ MORE: Hautapu front-rower Ollie Norris named in All Blacks XV squad to face Japan >>>>
After playing loosehead prop for Hautapu Sports, Norris has made his name with the Chiefs, since making his Super Rugby debut against the Crusaders in 2020.
Norris was a member of the wider New Zealand U-20 team in 2018 and was called up to travel to France for the closing match of the World Rugby U-20 Championship.
Born in Sydney, Norris went to St Peter’s, Cambridge, and was a member of their first XV that won the National Co-Ed title. He also previously represented New Zealand in the 2017 Barbarians Schools team.
In 2021, Norris was named in the Māori All Blacks squad and made his debut against Manu Samoa on July 3, 2021.
Meanwhile, Jacobson (28) goes into the series against France, having made 24 appearances for New Zealand since his test debut in 2019.
Jacobson made his mark in First XV rugby, which in turn earned him selection in the 2014 New Zealand Schools team.
Jacobson represented New Zealand in the 2016 World Rugby U-20 Championship and captained the Waikato U-19s to victory in the Jock Hobbs Memorial National U-19s tournament.
Dominant performances saw him awarded the captaincy of the 2017 New Zealand U-20s, whom he guided to victory in the final.
Jacobson debuted for the Gallagher Chiefs in 2018, following a formidable year in the jersey in 2019 saw the loose forward debut for the All Blacks in Argentina in 2019. Later that season, he was selected in the 2019 All Blacks Rugby World Cup squad but was withdrawn due to a concussion.
Jacobson wore the captain’s armband for the first time in 2021 against the Melbourne Rebels and has multiple times since.
After an outstanding Super Rugby season, Jacobson was again named in the All Blacks Rugby World Cup Squad in 2023 to play in France.
READ MORE: Hautapu lock Laghlan McWhannell earns re-selection to Maori All Blacks >>>>
New Zealand squad
*uncapped players
Props
Ethan de Groot, Tamaiti Williams, Ollie Norris*, Tyrel Lomax, Fletcher Newell, Pasilio Tosi
Hookers
Codie Taylor, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Brodie McAlister*
Locks
Scott Barrett, Fabian Holland*, Patrick Tuipulotu, Tupou Vaa’i
Loose forwards
Samipeni Finau, Ardie Savea, Du’Plessis Kirifi*, Wallace Sititi, Luke Jacobson
Halfbacks
Noah Hotham, Cortez Ratima, Cameron Roigard
First five-eighths
Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie
Midfielders
Anton Lienert-Brown, Jordie Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Quinn Tupaea, Billy Proctor, Timoci Tavatavanawai*
Outside backs
Caleb Clarke, Will Jordan, Ruben Love, Sevu Reece
Injury cover
Christian Lio-Willie for Luke Jacobson, Emoni Narawa for Anton Lienert-Brown
Unavailable due to injury
Asafo Aumua, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Sam Darry, Peter Lakai, Stephen Perofeta
Fixtures
The All Blacks squad will depart for Japan on October 17, 2024, and the fixtures are as follows:
Saturday July 5, 2025
All Blacks v France
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin, 7.05pm
Saturday July 12, 2025
All Blacks v France
Sky Stadium, Wellington, 7.05pm
Saturday July 19, 2025
All Blacks v France
FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton, 7.05pm
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