All Blacks captain Kieran Read announced on Wednesday he will retire from international rugby after this year's World Cup to play for Japanese club Toyota Verblitz.
The two-time World Cup winner, who will be chasing a third straight trophy this year, said the time felt right to leave.
"My family and I are looking forward to an overseas experience and Japan presents an awesome opportunity to immerse ourselves in Japanese culture as part of the Toyota club," the 33-year-old veteran of 118 Tests said.
Read said he wanted to get the announcement out early in the Super Rugby season so he could concentrate on playing for the Canterbury Crusaders and the All Blacks at the World Cup.
"Knowing it's my last opportunity, I'm very motivated and can't wait to get into it," he said. "It's an exciting time."
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen wished the No 8 well after an "outstanding" career.
"He's developed into a fantastic leader who has the utmost respect of all his peers," Hansen said.
"What he has achieved has been remarkable, and it's fair to say that he is one of the greats of our game."
Read made his All Blacks debut in 2008 and swiftly became the team's first-choice No 8, earning a World Rugby player of the year award in 2013.
He first tasted captaincy of New Zealand in 2012 as part of the All Blacks long-term succession plans, and eventually became the full-time captain after the 2015 World Cup when Richie McCaw retired.
High standards
At the time, New Zealand were facing an exodus of talent, with the likes of McCaw, Dan Carter, Conrad Smith and Ma'a Nonu either retiring or moving overseas.
But Read maintained the All Blacks' high standards and ensured there was no post-tournament slump, keeping the team's win rate above 85 per cent.
He also won three Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders and said he intends to live in Christchurch after his two-season deal in Japan ends.
Read said he was looking forward to working with former Springboks coach Jake White at Toyota.
"Japan's a bit closer to home than Europe and probably a bit easier on the body as well considering where I'm at in terms of my career," he said.
"They brought me in not just to play but also to mould their team and use all the experiences I've had in trying to help them out."
He hinted late last year that 2019 would be his final World Cup after lengthy spells on the sidelines caused by a wrist injury and a bulging spinal disc.
The All Blacks are keeping him in cotton wool ahead of the tournament, with Read missing at least the first six rounds of Super Rugby to minimise the risk of further injury.
Sam Whitelock has stepped in as captain during Read's injury-enforced absences but whether the 30-year-old is a long-term option remains to be seen.
Whitelock is rumoured to be eyeing a sabbatical playing in Japan after the World Cup, along with Brodie Retallick and Beauden Barrett.
Ben Smith, Liam Squire and Nehe Milner-Skudder have already announced they will quit the international scene after the tournament, along with long-time coach Steve Hansen.
There are also question marks over whether code-hopping star Sonny Bill Williams, Ryan Crotty and Owen Franks will stay with the All Blacks.
Changing visa rules
For decades the UAE has granted two and three year visas to foreign workers, tied to their current employer. Now that's changing.
Last year, the UAE cabinet also approved providing 10-year visas to foreigners with investments in the UAE of at least Dh10 million, if non-real estate assets account for at least 60 per cent of the total. Investors can bring their spouses and children into the country.
It also approved five-year residency to owners of UAE real estate worth at least 5 million dirhams.
The government also said that leading academics, medical doctors, scientists, engineers and star students would be eligible for similar long-term visas, without the need for financial investments in the country.
The first batch - 20 finalists for the Mohammed bin Rashid Medal for Scientific Distinction.- were awarded in January and more are expected to follow.
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
AGL AWARDS
Golden Ball - best Emirati player: Khalfan Mubarak (Al Jazira)
Golden Ball - best foreign player: Igor Coronado (Sharjah)
Golden Glove - best goalkeeper: Adel Al Hosani (Sharjah)
Best Coach - the leader: Abdulaziz Al Anbari (Sharjah)
Fans' Player of the Year: Driss Fetouhi (Dibba)
Golden Boy - best young player: Ali Saleh (Al Wasl)
Best Fans of the Year: Sharjah
Goal of the Year: Michael Ortega (Baniyas)
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
Student Of The Year 2
Director: Punit Malhotra
Stars: Tiger Shroff, Tara Sutaria, Ananya Pandey, Aditya Seal
1.5 stars
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
