Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle set to lose All Black Tawera Kerr-Barlow

Tawera Kerr-Barlow is set to leave La Rochelle at the end of the season to join Stade Français on a two-year deal – according to reports in France.

French rugby outlet Midi Olympique are reporting that is set to leave Ronan O’Gara’s side after seven seasons at the club.

The 34-year-old former All Black has been a key player for La Rochelle since joining in 2017, helping them secure consecutive Champions Cup titles. His departure comes as his contract expires next June, with the arrival of French international Nolann Le Garrec expected to shake up the half-back pecking order.

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Kerr-Barlow has started all seven of his Top 14 matches this season but has chosen to continue his career in Paris. His move follows announcements that Teddy Thomas and Georges-Henri Colombe will also leave La Rochelle for Stade Toulousain.

Stade Français gains an experienced international in Kerr-Barlow, who earned 27 caps for New Zealand between 2012 and 2017. His signing adds further strength to their squad as they aim to compete at the top of the French domestic league.

Kerr-Barlow has also kept the door open to a return to Test rugby and has let Australian rugby know that he is available to switch Test allegiance from black to gold should they want him.

“Even myself, I’d love to chuck on the Australian jersey as I spent the first part of life in Australia, my family is still there and I’m very grateful for what they have done for my family. My mum played for Australia. It [opening up eligibility] is a positive thing. You will get people saying, ‘Oh you know you’re not loyal’ or ‘How can you play for one country and play for another?'” he told RugbyPass previously.

“But if you are born in a country or your parents are born there and you feel a certain way about the country and you have got roots already established, then why not? I am a pretty open individual in terms of those sorts of things and I just want rugby to be the big thing I know it can be because if you love rugby you want it to improve.”