All Black Savea to skip Super Rugby in favour of Japan sabbatical in 2026

The sabbatical system was introduced to enable players to benefit from lucrative deals offered by Northern Hemisphere clubs while still remaining contracted to NZR and therefore available for test rugby.

SABBATICAL: All Blacks loose forward Ardie Savea will skip Super Rugby with Moana Pasifika next year and take a sabbatical in Japan at the Kobe Steelers club. Pic: Marty Melville, Onpho

All Blacks loose forward Ardie Savea will return to the Kobe Steelers club in Japan to take a sabbatical and skip Super Rugby with Moana Pasifika next year New Zealand Rugby (NZR) said on Tuesday.

The former World Rugby Player of the Year, who spent the 2024 Japanese season with the Steelers, will be available for test duty until the end of the November internationals and return in time for the 2026 mid-year tests.