Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Former All Blacks playmaker Brett Cameron signs with Japanese club

(Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

Former All Blacks playmaker Brett Cameron has called time on his career in New Zealand by signing a deal to join Japanese club Kamaishi Seawaves next year.

ADVERTISEMENT

Kamaishi Seawaves confirmed their signing of the 24-year-old first-five on Thursday in a move that, for the time being, brings an end to Cameron’s five-season professional spell in New Zealand.

“I’m very excited to sign with Kamaishi Seawaves,” Cameron said via a statement on the club’s website.

Video Spacer

Beauden Barrett and Aaron Smith named to start for the All Blacks against Fiji

Video Spacer

Beauden Barrett and Aaron Smith named to start for the All Blacks against Fiji

“I am looking forward to a new challenge playing rugby in Japan for a team with a proud rugby history, and to be involved in a proud community that has a big love for the game.”

The move abroad comes after Cameron failed to make a single appearance for the Crusaders this season as incumbent pivot Richie Mo’unga and promising youngster Fergus Burke were preferred in the match day side.

That lack of playing time saw Cameron linked with a move to the Hurricanes, who are in the market for an experienced first-five to accompany youngsters Ruben Love and Aidan Morgan in their 2022 squad, but no such move eventuated.

Cameron’s decision to leave the Crusaders brings and end to a five-year affiliation with the reigning Super Rugby Aotearoa champions, which began in 2016 when he first turned out for the franchise’s development side, the Crusaders Knights.

ADVERTISEMENT

After going on to make his first-class debut with Canterbury in their title-winning 2017 season, Cameron was called into the senior Crusaders squad to make his Super Rugby debut off the bench against the Bulls in March 2018.

A strong provincial campaign for Canterbury that year led to Cameron’s surprise inclusion in the All Blacks’ end-of-year tour squad to Japan.

With only two dozen first-class appearances for the Crusaders and Canterbury, Cameron made his test debut when he came off the bench in New Zealand’s 69-31 victory over the Brave Blossoms in Tokyo in November 2018.

The following year, Cameron earned himself a full contract with the Crusaders as he went on to play in five matches as the Christchurch-based outfit claimed their third straight Super Rugby crown.

ADVERTISEMENT

Cameron played a further seven games for the Crusaders in last year’s COVID-19-disrupted season, with his final outing for the club coming in their Super Rugby Aotearoa title-winning 32-22 victory over the Highlanders in Christchurch.

Cameron leaves the Crusaders with 13 appearances, two Super Rugby titles, two Super Rugby Aotearoa championships and one test cap to his name.

Cameron isn’t completely lost to New Zealand rugby just yet, though, as it was announced in February that he had signed a deal to play for Manawatu in this year’s NPC, which kicks-off next month.

Formed in 2001, the Kamaishi Seawaves competed in Japan’s second-tier Top Challenge League this season, where they finished in fifth place and missed out on a qualification berth to the Top League play-offs.

As part of the radical overhaul to the Top League next year, Kamaishi Seawaves will compete in the second division of the new three-tiered competition alongside the Kintetsu Liners, Hino Red Dolphins, Honda Heat, Mazda Blue Zoomers and Mitsubishi Dynaboars.

This year’s Kamaishi Seawaves squad featured four New Zealanders – former Southland prop Morgan Mitchell, ex-Chiefs and Hurricanes flanker Sam Henwood, Manawatu playmaker Sam Malcolm and former Auckland age-grade first-five Olle Polson.

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 12 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

303 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ 'England's blanket of despair feels overdone - they are not a team in freefall' 'England's blanket of despair feels overdone - they are not a team in freefall'
Search