New Zealand have received another huge boost ahead of this summer's Lions series with the news that star outside back Israel Dagg has agreed to stay in the country until 2019.
His new contract comes on the back of similar deals with Ben Smith and Nehe Milner-Skudder who will also play through until the next World Cup in Japan in 2019.
Speaking at the announcement of the deal, Dagg said: “There’s no doubt that there were some attractive offers to consider but at the end of the day I love my life here in New Zealand with my family, friends and team mates and I’m not ready to give that up.
"I still feel blessed every time I pull on the jersey for the All Blacks, Crusaders or Magpies so I consider it an honour to be able to keep working hard to earn that right for the next three years,” he added.
DAZZLING DAGG! To celebrate the re-signing of @izzy_dagg, we look back at the ten tries he scored for the #AllBlacks in 2016#TeamAllBlacks pic.twitter.com/IUM4wBQXz6
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) February 13, 2017
He is believed to have turned down huge offers from Europe to stay in his native country.
He has played 61 times for the All Blacks scoring 24 tries and played a pivotal part in New Zealand's dominance of the game in recent years including their back-to-back World Cup successes.
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