All Blacks hooker extends stay in France to 2023

Former All Blacks hooker Hikawera 'Hika' Elliot has chosen to extend his stay in France, signing a new deal with French club Colomiers in the ProD2.

Elliot spent two years at Nevers before signing for the Haut-Garonnais club last year. The forward very quickly adapted to the environment at his new club, scoring six tries to date, including a hat-trick against Soyaux-Angoulême.

The club wrote on their website: "Currently the best scorer of the professional team, our hooker is therefore carrying his contract until 2023!"

A former Waikato Chiefs, Elliot won 7 caps for the All Blacks, but left New Zealand in 2017 to join Oyonnax, after facing the British and Irish Lions during their tour of New Zealand.

Elliott was age-grade star in NZ. He represented the U16s in 2000 before captaining the New Zealand Secondary Schools in 2003 and then the New Zealand U19s in 2004. He repped the New Zealand Divisional XV in 2005 before repping the New Zealand U21s in 2006.

According to his Hurricanes bio, Elliot shed 17kg at the start of 2007 after his weight had ballooned at the end of the previous year’s off-season, on a regime of kickboxing and kung fu, the sport he also has a black belt in and grew up around with his family.

He was rewarded with New Zealand Maori selection in 2008 and later joined the All Blacks in Scotland on their end of year tour as a replacement for an injured Andrew Hore.

Elliott played for the Chiefs in 2009 and returned to Hamilton for 2010 for his second full season. He made the All Blacks again for their 2010 end of year tour and was the starting hooker in the 49-3 win against Scotland.