Rugby: All Black Anton-Lienert Brown signs deal with New Zealand Rugby until 2023

Anton Lienert-Brown has played 43 tests for the All Blacks. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Established All Blacks and Chiefs midfielder Anton-Lienert Brown committed his long-term future to New Zealand.

The 24-year-old has re-signed with New Zealand Rugby (NZR) and his the Chiefs through to 2023. He has also re-signed with his Waikato province through to 2021.

It's a key signing for the organisations, with Lienert-Brown making huge strides since breaking into the professional game in 2014, when he made his Super Rugby and provincial debut.

He became a regular starter for the Chiefs in 2016 and was called into the All Blacks squad later that year. Still relatively young, he has already had an impressive career: 43 tests (24 starts) for the All Blacks, 71 Super Rugby games and 19 games for Waikato.

"I love playing rugby here in New Zealand and I look forward to spending the next four years here."

Love your work @AntonLB95 💪🏼

Read more on the re-signing here ➡️ https://t.co/vWNNAbiLqp pic.twitter.com/9kuI6a52Vw

— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) March 8, 2020

"I love playing rugby in New Zealand. The team environments I have been a part of are really special. The challenge of the competition and team selection keeps me on my toes and drives me to be a better player and person. It's that challenge I enjoy the most and for me there is no better place I want to be, to develop on and off the field," Lienert-Brown said.

All Blacks Head Coach Ian Foster said the best is still to come for Lienert-Brown.

"Anton has been a standout for the All Blacks in recent years and we congratulate him on his decision to re-sign with New Zealand Rugby. For someone relatively young, he's been an outstanding and consistent player who I feel is getting better and better. We look forward to seeing more of him this season and beyond," he said.

Catch the Chiefs v Hurricanes at Waikato Stadium from 7.05pm on Friday on nzherald.co.nz and Sky Sport 1.