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Super Rugby Pacific

All Blacks XV prop to leave New Zealand after signing deal in France

By Finn Morton

265 days ago

Jermaine Ainsley. (Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)

Maori All Blacks and All Blacks XV prop Jermaine Ainsley will leave New Zealand’s shores at the end of the Super Rugby Pacific season after signing a deal in France with LOU Rugby.

Ainsley, 28, started 13 of the Highlanders’ 14 matches last season at tighthead prop, with the hard-hitting No. 3 only providing impact off the bench in one clash away to the Brumbies.

Following an impressive season at Super Rugby level, Ainsley was rewarded with a call-up to the All Blacks XV – starting matches against both a Japan XV and the Brave Blossoms.

Jermaine Ainsley to go to Lyon Rugby from 2025 🇫🇷
He’s been an absolute servant to the Highlanders jersey 🏉🔥 pic.twitter.com/JredRF1M5p

— Highlanders (@Highlanders) February 12, 2024

But at the end of the 2024 season, the New Zealander – who also played for the Western Force and Melbourne Rebels – will head abroad to take up an opportunity with Lyon.

“At the end of the 2024 Super season I will be heading to France to join LOU,” Ainsley said in a statement this week.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time being home over the last three years and it was always a childhood dream to play for the Highlanders.”

Ainsley’s decision to leave the Highlanders is to a tough blow for the Dunedin-based club who will be eager to turn their fortunes around this season and beyond.

The Highlanders were the only New Zealand team not to make the playoffs last time around, with the franchise missing out on points difference to the Queensland Reds.

But after an astonishing 52-19 win over the Hurricanes in Dunedin last weekend, Ainsley’s Highlanders will be feeling confident ahead of the upcoming campaign.

As revealed by the club last week, openside flanker Billy Harmon will lead the team again this season. Harmon is the reigning Defender and Players’ Player of the Year.

“Billy leads by his actions – especially on the field. He’s very measured around his delivery of messages and he’s really calm, which is hugely important,” head coach Clarke Dermody said in a statement.

“He’s one of our best players on the field and well respected by the team from what he did last year, and I know he’s looking forward to leading the team again.”

The Highlanders get their season underway at home when they take on Moana Pasifika at Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium on February 24.

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Comments on RugbyPass

TT 9 minutes ago

How the All Blacks plan to challenge Ireland after gutsy England win

My ‘fantasy’ team V Ireland,

Including options from ABXV if needed, as V Mun better V Ireland better prep than England.

The most important aspect V Ireland is AB need ALL their loosies AND 'loosie capable locks' on ALL match [except IF(?) any tiring ie the aging & slowing eg Cane]. As follows,

{starting} bench (3rd choice)

1 {De Groot} / Tu’ungafasi  (Williams)

2 { anyone that can throw!! }/ Aumua (Brodie McAlister)

Ryan! coach lineouts & Aumua to throw!

3 {Lomax}/ Tosi  (Newell )

Tosi immense strength V England  

4,5 Locks { P.Tuipulotu, S.Barrett }, Vaa’i, Darry

( Isaia Walker-Leawere)

Vaa’i off V Eng. Assumed due to leg injury(?)

6,7,8 Loose forwards { Sititi, A.Savea, Cane } Vaa’i, S.Barrettm, P.Tuipulotu back up (Devan Flanders, Du'Plessis Kirifi  )

9 {Roigard }  Ratima  ( TJ )

10 {D.McK} Perofeta ( Plummer)  

12 {J.Barrett } ALB ( Q.Tupaea )

13 {Proctor} Ioane  ( AJ Lam )

 Ioane (off V England ) but Irish experience (NO not Sexton!)

14 { Tele’a} Reece  (bkup W.Jordan )

11 {C.Clarke} Narawa (K.Naholo)

15 {W.Jordan} Love  (Stevenson)

26 Go to comments

johnz 27 minutes ago

All Blacks talk late-game adjustments after clutch England win

I guess the other option would be to start ALB, he's looked good in the 12 so far when he starts and sets up those outside him. But that would mean putting the vice captain on the bench, which is unlikely. Another option would be to drop Reiko to the bench and play Proctor, though he's gone home so that's not going to happen either.

Both of those players just offer more of the soft distribution skills good centres learn from playing their careers there. Unfortunately that's what's lacking with the current combo.

11 Go to comments

ColinK 27 minutes ago

Are the All Blacks doomed to a 70% flatline?

Whatever let's see if this load of waffle is still valid in 2 years time. ABs will rise we have a lot of new talent coming through. The NPC was the highest standard for years. The game is changing to suit the fast pace we like to play. We get to play the Springboks more, including the franchises, which will make us better! Overall I am optimistic. I will add having watched the England game multiple times we made most of the play. England are an awesome physical team, but you can expect the All Blacks to get better and better at executing the chances. It could easily have been 5 tries to one instead of 3 to 1.

1 Go to comments

johnz 34 minutes ago

All Blacks talk late-game adjustments after clutch England win

Ratima did look rattled, compared to Roigard who looked like a boss when he came on. But that's been Roigard in test rugby so far. Ratima is only really starting because of Roigard's injury, otherwise surely Roigard was the incumbent. So it's not just one outing of the pine, that just points to Roigard being ready to have a start. As good as Ratima has been, Roigard just offers more.

11 Go to comments

GL 1 hour ago

How surprise opportunities led Harry Plummer to debut for All Blacks

Cody Taylor is a more significant loss than BB, not even close!

1 Go to comments

JD 1 hour ago

'I never heard from Gatland... It kills me to this day'

Won't see a player like him nor, hopefully, an arsehole like him either. Odious kant.

22 Go to comments

CO 1 hour ago

Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I agree largely and I rate McKenzie as a wonderful utility at his best but now at twenty nine I wouldn't take him to the next world cup. I've never seen him as a a ten or a starter either at top tier test level. The bench needs a serious rethink with ideally a hybrid halfback/wing or a hybrid halfback/ten or a hybrid ten/centre to release that need for two relatively small guys on the bench.

32 Go to comments

RW 1 hour ago

“He’s given Connacht everything” – Bundee Aki’s future, and an exciting tactical innovation

Starting a go fund me for Bundee to Leinster 😜

3 Go to comments

CO 1 hour ago

How the All Blacks plan to challenge Ireland after gutsy England win

Unbelievable, the penalty count was so lopsided in last week's first half I'm certain the conspiracy theorists have already had a field day.

26 Go to comments

JWH 2 hours ago

How the All Blacks plan to challenge Ireland after gutsy England win

Good idea, but to move a lock to 6 now with no previous experience save Scott Barrett (who is still our best lock) ahead of the 2nd best equal team in the world may cause more harm than good in terms of confidence, in both caoches and players.

Re lineout options, the ABs have the most innovative lineout in the world, with FOUR lineout options (Barrett, Vaai, Sititi, Savea), compared to Irelands maybe 2 (Beirne and Ryan). ABs will absolutely cause issues at the lineout, and definitely at scrum time. Those Irish props eat to much salad compared to our boys 💪

26 Go to comments

JWH 2 hours ago

Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I never said boring was bad, but it doesn't necessarily go hand in hand with the ABs style. The ABs 10 looks like this: a little magic, good offloads, tactical precision kicking, draw and pass, and a cool head to level it off.

A game manager isn't exactly necessary, as the ABs should all know what they are doing, and the 9 should be directing the forwards. However, considering the youth of our best 9s currently, a more vocal, directive, and logical player like Harry Plummer would make more sense than someone like DMac, who is in his own right a good 10, but tends to sit in wider channels where he can threaten the line more directly, so has less influence on the postioning of the narrower forwards.

32 Go to comments

Kia koe 2 hours ago

How the All Blacks plan to challenge Ireland after gutsy England win

Yep yep I agree

26 Go to comments

Icefarrow 2 hours ago

The ‘unsung hero’ who helped All Blacks’ bench make a telling difference

B-but all the armchair critics tell me he's useless and does little for the team but get penalised... This simply cannot be!

2 Go to comments

Thomas K 2 hours ago

England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

So you think you’d definitely have scored way more tries if it wasn’t for all the off the ball shots? 🤣🤣