The next potential cab off the rank for an All Blacks debut at first five-eighth was confirmed by the All Blacks XV squad selections to be Taranaki playmaker Josh Jacomb.
In just a few days another season of the Top 14 kicks off with the likes of Owen Farrell, Siya Kolisi, Josua Tuisova, and Davit Niniashvili making the numbers of the overseas players ready to make the headlines and wrestle for the title.
Former Maori All Blacks fly-half Ihaia West has taken up an offer to rejoin La Rochelle following a one-season stint at Top 14 rivals Toulon.
La Rochelle have signed flyhalf Antoine Hastoy from Pau as a replacement for Ihaia West, who will leave the European Champions this summer for Toulon. Hastoy has been a loyal servant at Pau since 2015, but has struggled...
Ihaia West scored 16 points as La Rochelle booked a Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final showdown with Montpellier after a hard-fought victory over 14-man Bordeaux-Begles.
Eight years after shooting to fame as the red-haired Maori who won the Ranfurly Shield, Ihaia West is loving his French leave at La Rochelle.
The Hurricanes were without Beauden Barrett against the Sharks but Ihaia West came good by kicking a late game-winning conversion.
The British and Irish Lions were beaten 22-16 by the Blues in Auckland on Wednesday.