Former Blues captain Luke Braid is preparing for what could be his last season at the franchise after agreeing a two-year contract at French club Bordeaux-Begles.
For Bordeaux and coach Raphael Ibanez, the former France hooker, it is a case of success at last. They first tried to sign looseforward Braid after the 2013 season, but the 26-year-old decided to stay on.
Now he believes the time is right for a change. Two recent shoulder reconstructions disrupted what had been a positive year for Braid, and his injuries have helped push him down the All Blacks' pecking order. With the World Cup approaching - after which there will be a rush on test players looking for overseas club contracts - securing his immediate future was important.
"They had offered me a contract after 2013 and I contemplated going but I thought it was too early, there would be things left unfinished here," Braid said of Bordeaux. "But they chased me again so I just think getting the offer this early - and not many small No7s get contracts over there, we aren't normally what they would take - so for me having that security offered early before the World Cup after which so many internationals will come off contract... it seemed a good option.
"I have spoken to Raf Ibanez a few times and he seems like a good guy and the team are doing quite well.
"I am watching with interest because I'm excited about playing in the Heineken Cup. The Top 14 is awesome but that Heineken Cup looks really good with the crowds and stadiums."
Fellow loose forward Jerome Kaino will captain the Blues next season, but Braid has every reason to feel proud of his time leading under both Pat Lam and then John Kirwan. It has often been a difficult job due to the team's wildly inconsistent performances, but Braid has consistently been one of the best.
Last season, with the Benji Marshall experiment falling flat, Braid took matters into his own hands and was one of the team's best ball carriers, along with their best tackler.
Braid has been perhaps unlucky to have seen Sam Cane, Tanerau Latimer and Matt Todd ranked above him for the All Blacks' No7 jersey behind Richie McCaw, but he seems to thrive on challenges, as does his brother, Daniel, a former All Black who couldn't get a Super contract in New Zealand and is now the captain of English club Sale.
For Luke, the time appears right for a move - and the lifestyle available in the south of France is an appealing one - but the Blues will miss him.
"I went to JK early and was open with him," Braid said. "He is an ex-player and a pioneer in terms of playing in Italy. He always talks about it, he loved it there and playing so really understands from a playing point of view. He was awesome about it. I was really quite nervous leading into telling him but he was so supportive and really stoked. I said there was only one team I wanted to play for when I came back."
Two keyhole scars are the only evidence of Braid's shoulder operations, which ruled him out of this year's ITM Cup with Bay of Plenty, and he is expecting to be available for the Blues' first match of the 2015 season against the Chiefs at North Harbour on February 14.
