All Black winger Joe Rokocoko has joined French rugby club Bayonne on a two-year deal.
Rokocoko, who has won 68 caps for the All Blacks and scored 44 tries, has been named in New Zealand's preliminary squad for this year's Rugby World Cup.
The club said the 27-year-old would join Bayonne after the tournament in New Zealand.
NZRU general manager professional rugby Neil Sorensen says Rokocoko has been an outstanding professional, on and off the field.
Blues coach Pat Lam says Rokocoko 's work ethic, manner and respect for the jerseys he's worn, the people he works with and the fans is admirable.
Rokocoko says the decision is one of the biggest he's had to make but the time has come.
In a sensational debut season in 2003 he scored 17 tries in 12 tests, a world record for a calendar year.
