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RUGBY UNION: New Zealand skipper to join Oxford
Former New Zealand All Blacks captain Anton Oliver will be playing for the Dark Blues of Oxford University next season.
The 32-year-old hooker, who retired from international rugby after the 2007 World Cup, is to study an MSc in Biodiversity, Environment and Management.
Oliver played 59 Tests for the All Blacks, captaining his country ten times in 2001.
He made his All Blacks debut against Eastern Province in Port Elizabeth, South Africa in August 1996, aged 20.
Oliver is likely to have the same profile in Oxford as Australian great Joe Roff, who captained the Dark Blues in last year's Varsity Match.
Oliver said: "I feel very privileged to have been accepted into Oxford University, one of the world's premier learning institutions.
"I see my time at Oxford as a clear demarcation in my life, leaving behind a life as a professional sportsperson for one of academic rigour and thought.
"The chance to play in the Varsity match - which is clearly a unique event in rugby union is also very exciting and I see it as a natural way for me to finish my playing career.
"I first played representative rugby for Otago in 1994 when the game was still amateur.
"To come back to the amateur game after all that I have experienced and learned is a lovely example of the full circle metaphor: I'm finishing back where I started."
This season, Oliver, whose father Frank also captained the All Blacks, has been playing for French club Toulon alongside fellow international stars George Gregan, Andrew Mehrtens and Victor Matfield.
He will form a key part of Oxford's attempt to win the 127th Lehman Brothers Varsity Match at Twickenham on December 11 and reverse a run of three straight defeats.
Dark Blues director of Rugby Steve Hill said: "We are delighted Anton has decided to accept the opportunity to study at Oxford.
"To have someone of his calibre and experience in the heart of our forward pack will be invaluable for our 2008 Varsity campaign."
Oliver, who played for Otago and Highlanders, won't, however, be the first All Black captain to represent for Oxford University.
Scrum half David Kirk led New Zealand to World Cup glory in June 1987 then went on to win his Blue at Twickenham in December.
Kirk captained Oxford the following year, but couldn't repeat the victory he achieved 12 months before.
FACTFILE
Name: Anton David Oliver.
DOB: September 9, 1975.
Height: 6ft
Weight: 17st 6lb.
Position: Hooker.
International caps: 59 (ten as captain).
International debut: v Fiji (June 14, 1997).
Last test: v France (World Cup quarter-final October 6, 2007).
Test tries: three.
8:00am Tuesday 13th May 2008
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