All Blacks lock

All Blacks lock Patrick Tuipulotu signs up with Toyota

They have also signed South Africa loose forward Pieter-Steph du Toit.

Tuipulotu, who led the Blues to this year's Super Rugby Trans-Tasman title, signed a contract with New Zealand Rugby through to 2025 and the new deal permitted him to move to Japan with a return home slated for mid-2022.

Tuipulotu is reunited with former All Blacks' World Cup-winning coach Steve Hansen, who is now director of rugby at the club, while he will be playing under coach Simon Cron, also a New Zealander.

All Blacks lock Patrick Tuipulotu re-signs until 2023

The news comes hot on the heels of the successful opening weekend of Super Rugby Aotearoa, which saw Tuipulotu's Blues beat the Hurricanes 30-20 at a sold-out Eden Park.

27-year-old Tuipulotu has played 30 Tests for the All Blacks and 74 matches for the Blues since making his Test and Super debuts in 2014.

He made the All Blacks Rugby World Cup squad in 2019 playing five Tests at the tournament.

"I am pleased to continue to play for New Zealand Rugby and the Blues until 2023 and excited about the future," said Tuipulotu.