The two-time Super Rugby champion Chiefs look set to lose another player, with loose forward Liam Messam expected to sign with French club Toulon.
The Chiefs have recently had several current and former All Blacks leave the franchise, with Aaron Cruden, Tawera Kerr-Barlow and Hika Elliot all departing New Zealand shores, while standout winger James Lowe also left following the 2017 campaign.
Messam looks set to follow in their footsteps, with a two-year deal expected to be announced at the weekend.
Last month French rugby newspaper Midi Olympique reported the 33-year-old was being chased by another French club - Lyon - but their offers were bettered by Toulon, who also have fellow Kiwis Malakai Fekitoa, Ma'a Nonu and Alby Mathewson in the ranks.
Messam is expected to join the club after the 2018 Super Rugby season. He played 43 tests for the All Blacks between 2008 and 2015, and is the Chiefs' most-capped player in history, with the former captain having notched 161 appearances since his debut in 2006.
