All Blacks and Hurricanes loose forward Ardie Savea has confirmed he will take an offshore playing break in 2024 before returning to rugby in New Zealand.
Under the terms of the four-year contract extension he signed with New Zealand Rugby (NZR) last year, the 67-test All Black will transfer to Japan at the end of 2023.
The 29-year-old will then return to New Zealand in June 2024 and play through until the end of the 2025 season.
"I'm excited to be joining the Kobelco Kobe Steelers after the 2023 rugby season," Savea said.
"Although it's far away, it's nice to have clarity in what I'm doing and I think this change, for a short period of time, will do me and my family good.