Born in London and raised in the small North Canterbury town of Oxford, Jamie Hannah made a name for himself at Christchurch Boys' High School, turning out for the First XV before earning selection for New Zealand Schools in 2020. He progressed through the Crusaders Academy while studying at Lincoln University, then helped New Zealand U20 win the Oceania Rugby Championship in 2022. Hannah made his Crusaders debut in 2023, picking up three wins on the trot, and was named the club's Rookie of the Year in 2024 - the same year he pulled on the Canterbury jersey for the first time. A big, physical lock who gets through plenty of work in close, Hannah's rise culminated in his first All Blacks cap on 4 July 2026, called into the side as injury cover during the Nations Championship and playing in the final ​15 minutes against France in Christchurch - a fittingly special place for his Test debut, with family and friends able to be there on the night.