Veteran All Blacks hooker Keven Mealamu looks set to leave New Zealand, after claiming his final Super Rugby game "is certainly not the end".
Mealamu has been installed as captain for the Blues' last match of the 2015 season and strongly hinted in a statement on the club's website on Wednesday that he is looking to continue his career elsewhere after the Rugby World Cup.
The 36-year-old will make his 175th appearance for the Blues when they face the Highlanders on Friday, while he has 123 caps to his name with New Zealand.
"I've been blessed to have been able to play in Super Rugby for 15 years, and this is certainly not the end of my rugby quite yet. I will make a final decision on that at the end of the year," Mealamu said.
"In some ways it will be emotional to share my final Super Rugby game on Friday with my teammates, my friends and especially my family.
"This has been a tough season for the Blues but we can go out on a good note knowing we have performed to our best.
"We have some players leaving as well and we have [regular skipper] James [Parsons], who is reaching an important milestone, so we owe it to them and to ourselves to be the best we can be both individually and collectively on Friday."
If Mealamu decides to play abroad, he will join a large group of long-time All Blacks, who are planning to move on following the World Cup, which begins on September 18 in England.
Conrad Smith (85 caps), Ma'a Nonu (94) and Daniel Carter (102) have already agreed to leave Super Rugby after the 2015 season.
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