Bridge too far: Wing to join Montpellier
George Bridge is joining French club Montpellier on a three-year contract once his NPC season ends.
After plenty of speculation, Bridge’s move to France has been confirmed. He spent six seasons with the Crusaders and played 19 tests for the All Blacks.
His Canterbury side play Bay of Plenty in tonight’s NPC semifinal and will host the final against Auckland or Wellington next Saturday with a victory.
The Top 14 season began last month and Montpellier are fourth with a 3-3 record.
“I am delighted to sign with a club with the recent success and prestige of Montpellier,” Bridge told the club’s website. “I look forward to bringing to the club the experience I was able to gain with the Crusaders and All Blacks.”
The Gisborne product burst on to the scene in his debut NPC season with Canterbury in 2016, which earned him a Super Rugby contract with the Crusaders.
Bridge earned his first taste of international rugby in 2017, scoring two tries for a Barbarians side against the All Blacks.
He made his All Blacks test debut against Japan at the end of 2018 and scored 12 tries in his 19 tests.
Bridge is the second former All Black recruited by the French side, with loosehead prop Karl Tu’inukuafe also at the club.
The Montpellier club’s billionaire owner Mohed Altrad is one of five people, including World Rugby vicechairman Bernard Laporte, facing a range of corruption charges in France relating to their governance of rugby.
Altrad’s building supplies company is a major sponsor of the All Blacks and French national team.