Ardie Savea to join Blues on one-season deal

Ardie Savea will officially join the Blues on Friday.

The All Blacks captain has been without a Super Rugby Pacific home since Moana Pasifika collapsed earlier this year and left behind $8 million in debt.

All roads pointed to Savea staying in Auckland and switching to the Blues for next year’s campaign as he builds towards the Rugby World Cup in Australia in 2027.

That outcome, rugby’s worst-kept secret, will be confirmed on Friday with confirmation of Savea’s one-season deal to join the Blues.

Since prematurely returning home from the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour in South Africa with a dislocated shoulder that ended his season, Savea has teased an announcement on his Super future on his social media channels.

The Herald understands Savea has been negotiating with the Blues since early July, with the New Zealand Rugby component of his Super deal and the timing of the announcement delaying confirmation.

While other teams would savour Savea’s services, he was never going to land anywhere else.

Savea and his family enjoyed their time in Auckland while he played one superb season for Moana Pasifika in 2025 before skipping last season to cash in on a second sabbatical with Japanese club Kobe.

A return to Auckland next season in different colours will, therefore, be an easy transition.

Signing Savea is a coup for the Blues and new head coach Jason Holland.

On the field, once he recovers from his shoulder setback, Savea will inject notable impact while helping mentor the Blues’ stacked loose forward stocks that include All Black Anton Segner and Malachi Wrampling, Torian Barnes and Che Clark.

Savea’s presence will also help offset the losses of long-serving loose forwards and former All Blacks Dalton Papali’i and Hoskins Sotutu, both of whom departed in July to offshore clubs.

In a highly competitive Auckland sporting market, with the New Zealand Warriors thriving and Auckland FC adding to the fight for fans, Savea’s genuine star appeal will be a trump card for the Blues to leverage next year.

All Blacks bolter Semisi Ta’eiloa will not, however, join Savea at the Blues.

Ta’eiloa played alongside Savea at Moana Pasifika and there were suggestions he could join the All Blacks skipper at the Blues next year.

After making two midweek All Blacks appearances against the Lions and Sharks in South Africa, Ta’eiloa is yet to commit to a Super Rugby team but the Crusaders and the Hurricanes are believed to be in a head-to-head battle to sign the powerful No 8.

The Crusaders are thought to have offered an initial wider training group contract, with the promise of graduating to their main squad in 2028.

Liam Napier is a Senior Sports Journalist and Rugby Correspondent for the New Zealand Herald. He is a co-host of the Rugby Direct podcast.