Height: 6’2” ー Weight: 260 lbs. ー Port Elizabeth, South Africa
The 24-year-old, 6’2, 260lbs front rower makes the move to New England from South Africa’s Toyota Cheetahs in the Currie Cup and Pro14. De Jager is a mobile prop and powerful scrummager that will add considerable strength to the Free Jacks front row. De Jager made his Pro14 and Currie Cup debut for the Cheetahs in 2017 and has since earned thirteen caps in the Guinness Pro14, nine caps in the Currie Cup for the Free State provincial based side, and 20 caps in the SuperSport Rugby Challenge.
De Jager was first included in the Toyota Cheetahs side for the 2017-18 Pro14 season making his debut in their match against Welsh side, ‘The Dragons’ in Newport, and his home debut in their next match against the Cardiff Blues. Since then, the young prop has gone on to construct a significant top level career. De Jager was an integral part of the 2019 Currie Cup winning side, starting at Tight Head Prop in the Free State Cheetahs 32-29 victory over the Golden Lions at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein in front of a raucous 40,000 fans in August, 2019.
De Jager was born in Port Elizabeth and represented the local Eastern Province Kings at various youth levels during his school career, playing at the Under-18 Craven Week tournaments on two occasions – at the 2013 tournament held in Polokwane and the 2014 event held in Middelburg.
