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All Black great Zinzan Brooke has made a full recovery from a head injury and has returned to his home in London.
The 42-year-old checked out of hospital in Elche, Spain on Tuesday. He was admitted after hitting the back of his head on the ground and fracturing his skull in the early hours of May 24.
Brooke returned to Britain in style after an "acquaintance" loaned the use of a private jet for the rugby star, his wife Alison, and brothers Robin and Simon. TV One News reported on Wednesday night that he had since flown into Auckland International Airport.
Robin Brooke, who went to Spain to be with his brother last week, told the Herald from London early today (NZ time) Zinzan was "a hell of a lot better now".
Medical staff had given Brooke the all-clear but advised him to take things easy.
"He's much better and is definitely speaking clearly but he's looking to sit tight for a few days until he recovers fully," said Robin Brooke.
"He can sort of go about doing normal things again which is great but he's been told to take it easy for at least a little while until everything settles down."
He said Zinzan was looking forward to getting back into his home environment and to the property development business he runs with younger brother Simon and friend Peter Hart.
"I don't think he's got too many plans but he's still got work to do."
Robin Brooke said it was a "huge relief" for his family, who were confident Zinzan would have no future consequences from his injury.
"He's had a decent sort of operation and a decent injury so we're lucky there's no long-term damage," he said.
"He's a lucky boy, I must admit, but he'll make a full recovery."
Brooke, who played 58 tests for the All Blacks scoring 17 tries - a record for a forward - suffered the head injury the morning after the Barbarian side he was coaching beat Spain 52-26 in Elche.
He underwent surgery to relieve acute pain in his brain after hitting the back of his head on the ground after getting out of a taxi at his hotel.
