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Jake Ilnicki is moving up the professional ranks. Having split the 2016 season between PRO Rugby’s San Diego Breakers and the Manawatu Turbos in New Zealand’s Mitre 10 Cup, the 24-year-old Williams Lake native will start the New Year with the Northampton Saints of England’s Aviva Premiership.
Ilnicki has already arrived at his new club and will line up for the club’s reserve side – the Wanderers – in their Aviva ‘A’ league fixture against Leicester on Monday evening. The initial contract runs until the end of the 2016-17 season.
A graduate and former captain of Canada’s u20 side, Ilnicki has made steady progress since making his test debut as a 21-year-old against Georgia in November of 2013. He has since won 18 caps and in 2016 has established himself as Canada’s first choice tighthead prop. Having been left out of the initial 2015 World Cup squad, an injury to Jason Marshall opened the door for Ilnicki’s inclusion and he has featured in every Canadian squad since.
Ilnicki joins Evan Olmstead of Newcastle Falcons and newly-signed Connor Braid of Worcester Warriors as Canada’s representatives currently in the Aviva Premiership.
Northampton are currently in 9th spot in the table, having seen their fortunes dip after winning the Premiership in 2013-14 and also the European Challenge Cup in the same year. They are also currently struggling in the Champions Cup having suffered a record defeat to Leinster on the weekend.
