Nehe Milner-Skudder's off-shore departure has been confirmed, with the outside back signing a three-year deal with French club Toulon.
The Top 14 glamour side announced their newest acquisition on its website on Friday morning (NZ time), putting an end to months of speculation regarding the 27-year-old's future.
Milner-Skudder had been expected to make a play for the All Blacks Rugby World Cup squad before linking with the club, but will instead join them in June after a final Super Rugby season with the Hurricanes.
Given the depth now on offer to All Blacks selectors at the outside-back positions, he would likely have found it difficult to work his way back into the reckoning.
The hot-stepping wing burst on to the international scene in 2015 and played a starring role in the All Blacks' successful Rugby World Cup, later named World Rugby's Breakthrough Player of the Year.
But his career has been consistently stunted by injuries since, culminating in another shoulder issue that forced him out of the NZ Māori tour to Japan last month.
Toulon have several former All Blacks on their roster, including Julian Savea, Malakai Fekitoa and Liam Messam.
Alongside Milner-Skudder, they also announced the addition of Springboks lock Eben Etzebeth.
Sam Whitelock is also rumoured to be considering a move to the club after next year's World Cup.
On Thursday, All Blacks back Ben Smith also confirmed he'd be heading to France on a one-year deal with Pau.
Newshub.
