Former Maori All Black Braid exits Bordeaux contract mid-season

Former All Black hopeful Luke Braid has made a mid-season exit from Bordeaux Begles.

The Maori All Black backrow has exited his contract from the Top 14 club six months before it was set to expire.

The club said today that the player is leaving for 'personal reasons' and that the exit is by 'mutual consent'. He will return to New Zealand.

Braid joined the Maori All Blacks for his first campaign with the side in 2013.

He is a former winner of World Rugby's 'Junior Player of the Year' - an accolade he picked up in 2008 when guiding the side to the World Championship that year.

A specialist openside, Braid joined Bordeaux-Begles in 2015, but has made just five appearances so far this season.

Braid comes from a well-known New Zealand rugby family: both his brother Daniel and father Gary were All Blacks. His great-uncle George Wyman captained Eastern Canada against the All Blacks.