All Blacks lock Josh Lord to stay in New Zealand

Towering All Blacks and Gallagher Chiefs second row Josh Lord is set to stay put in New Zealand.

Standing at an imposing ha six foot eight inches, Lord has extended his contract with the Gallagher Chiefs and New Zealand Rugby until the end of 2026 and remain available for selection by the All Blacks over the next three years.

“Grateful to re-sign with the mana," said Lord on the Chief's website. "They’ve shown a lot of faith in me and I look forward to repaying their faith in the next few years."

Chiefs head coach Clayton McMillan said: “Josh has been an important part of our team for several seasons now, and we are ecstatic he has committed to the club for another two years. A player with his profile and skill set is pretty hard to secure, and he will no doubt play a significant role in our future aspirations.

“He has been unfortunate with injury, something not uncommon for big athletic young men, growing into their body and becoming accustomed to the physical demands of his position. But Josh has always taken setbacks in his stride, been diligent in his rehab, and we are now seeing him back fit and healthy. We are stoked to see him back with the All Blacks – we’ve got no doubt he will thrive and make his presence felt.”

Born in New Plymouth in 2001, Lord has risen relatively quickly through the ranks of New Zealand rugby. He made his debut for Taranaki in the NPC in 2019 at the age of just 18.

His performances at the provincial level caught the attention of the Chiefs and would make his Super Rugby debut just a year later in 2020. Since then, Lord has become a regular feature in the Chiefs' squad.

In 2021 Lord's talent was recognized at the highest level when he was selected for the All Blacks. His Test debut came in November of that year against Italy.

Lord has earned five caps for the All Blacks to date.