Savea to cash in on lucrative Japan stint
All Blacks star Ardie Savea provided an honest answer when asked why he had decided to take up a sabbatical in Japan in 2024 – ‘‘the money’s good’’.
The recently reappointed Hurricanes captain will head to Japan after the Rugby World Cup and spend a season with League One club Kobelco Kobe Steelers.
Savea will link up with former All Blacks and Hurricanes team-mate Ngani Laumape at Kobe and said he was excited about a change of scenery after 11 years in Super Rugby.
But the biggest factor behind his decision to play overseas was the chance to set up his young family financially.
The 67-test loose forward will leave New Zealand at the end of the year.
He will miss the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific campaign but be back by June, making him available for All Blacks selection.
Savea has committed to the Hurricanes for 2025.
‘‘Plain and simple. To set up my family. The money’s good, I’m not gonna lie,’’ he said, after reporting back for Hurricanes pre-season.
‘‘It’s an opportunity to set up my family and also to try something new. It’s a bit of a challenge and hopefully it puts me on my toes.
‘‘Not that I’m not on my toes here but there’s just something about going into a new environment and feeling young and being a rookie again.
‘‘Hopefully that sparks something in me to keep going for a few more years.’’
Savea said his wife Saskia and their three young children have planned a couple of visits, but will otherwise remain living in Wellington during his stint in Japan.
‘‘We’ve got our two dogs so we can’t leave them behind,’’ he said.
‘‘Ngani is there so I told him if he needs a babysitter so him and his wife can go have date nights and I can look after the kids.’’
Savea will once again lead the Hurricanes, with coach Jason Holland retaining him as captain for 2023.
‘‘It’s something you never take for granted,’’ Savea said.
‘‘It’s such an honourable position and there’s been some great leaders in the past that have captained the Canes.’’
The Hurricanes have made a few notable signings, recruiting one-test All Blacks first-five Brett Cameron, Waisake Naholo’s younger brother Kini and promising Wellington duo Peter Lakai and Riley Higgins.
Giving the Hurricanes an extra edge, they have moved into the stateof-the-art training facility at the New Zealand Campus of Innovation and Sport in Upper Hutt.
‘‘It’s flash. It’s really good,’’ Savea said.
‘‘I live close to the airport so it’s a bit of a drive so that’s different, but it’s amazing, there are no excuses for us as players. We have a recovery centre, we’ve got a gym, got the fields, it’s a dream for an athlete.’’
Knowing he will not be here for the 2024 season, Savea said he was determined to ‘‘give it all this year’’ and help lead the Hurricanes to their first title since 2016 before switching focus to the World Cup.
‘‘Plain and simple. To set up my family. The money’s good, I’m not gonna lie.’’ Ardie Savea