"End of an Era" - The 10 All Blacks That Have Left New Zealand After the 2023 Rugby World Cup

Amongst the 10 players, four era-defining stars are confirmed to have retired from international duties. The remaining six head overseas, in moves that will take them out of the All Blacks fold for the foreseeable future, yet the door remains open for their return to the black jersey. There is a definitive feel of 2015 to the current All Blacks side, as New Zealand entered a transitional period following their back-to-back Rugby World Cup glory.

Six icons of the black jersey all retired from the international scene eight years ago, as Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Ma'a Nonu, Kevin Mealamu, Conrad Smith and Tony Woodcock hung up their test match boots. After returning home from France, Ian Foster has also stepped down from the All Blacks, with Scott Robertson set to take over the reins as Head Coach.

Robertson is a proven winner as a Head Coach, having taken the Crusaders to five consecutive Super Rugby titles (two Super Rugby Aotearoa). However, with such a key group of the All Blacks set to leave the international scene at least for the 2023/24 season, Robertson has some key decisions to make. England are reportedly set to tour New Zealand for a three-match series next Summer, with the All Blacks also set to participate in the 2024 Rugby Championship against Australia, South Africa and Argentina.

However, these 10 players won't be included. Here are the All Blacks that have left New Zealand, following their involvement in the 2023 Rugby World Cup squad.

One of the four New Zealand veterans that have hung up their test match boots, 90-capped All Black Dane Coles looked set for his full rugby retirement earlier this week. However, the hooker is set for one last run in Japan, as Tokyo side Kubota Spears announced Coles as a star-signing for the 2023/24 Japan Rugby League One season.

Coles heads to Japan as a late signing, following the injury to Spears' star hooker Malcolm Marx. Marx was side-lined for the majority of the Rugby World Cup, as the Springbok picked up a severe knee injury in a mid-week training session. The hooker featured just once in France, during South Africa's narrow opening round win over Scotland in Pool B.

Coles comes in as a well-matched replacement, with Marx reportedly set to miss the entirety of the season. At 36-years-old, this looks like the final stop on Coles' farewell tour. He will be lining up against numerous All Blacks teammates in the Japan Rugby League One, as well as teaming up with Wales' fullback Liam Williams at the Spears. Coles has never before ventured to Japan, as his 17-year career has seen him stay in New Zealand's capital city of Wellington with the Hurricanes.

The Rugby World Cup Final witnessed an emotional send-off to arguably the greatest All Blacks scrum-half of all time. Aaron Smith led the Haka for the final time in his career, with his passion burning bright as he lined-up against the Springboks. A disallowed try was a brutal way to end Smith's decorated All Blacks career, as the halfback heads to Japan having achieved all he can with New Zealand.

Smith was the integral ammunition distributor to Dan Carter, as New Zealand won the 2015 Rugby World Cup. 2015 also marked the year that Smith reached the top of the Super Rugby mountain, as he led his beloved Highlanders to glory over Dane Coles' Hurricanes. Smith is the second-most capped Super Rugby player, and one of two iconic All Blacks that depart New Zealand for Toyota Verblitz in the near future (more on that shortly). This will be the first venture outside of New Zealand for the 34-year-old.

It has become relatively common practice, for the top All Blacks stars to take a sabbatical season outside of Super Rugby, and earn the high-paying wages that are not available in New Zealand. However, like Coles, Smith is yet to do that, and had an emotional farewell after his 185th and final Highlanders match. Smith has been a mainstay of the All Blacks fray since 2012, battling against the likes of TJ Perenara, Brad Weber and most recently Finlay Christie to keep his jersey for a staggering 124 test caps.

Joining Aaron Smith in the Aichi region of Japan is all-time great New Zealand back Beauden Barrett. Toyota Verblitz have certainly bolstered their ranks ahead of the 2023/24 season, with Smith and Barrett expected to link up in a formidable halfback partnership. This is not Barrett's first venture to Japan, as the 32-year-old spent the Covid disrupted 2020/21 season with Suntory Sungoliath.

Barrett led Sungoliath all the way to the final that year, however he could not claim any silverware as his side was defeated 31-26 by the Wild Knights. Flying under the 'Panasonic Wild Knights' banner before their sponsorship changed to Saitama, the Wild Knights roster boasted the likes of England lock George Kruis and a strong contingency of the Brave Blossoms national side. Barrett returned to New Zealand for a three season stint with the Auckland Blues, having previously starred for the Hurricanes alongside his brother and All Blacks teammate Jordie Barrett.

Barrett returns to Japan with the goal of going one better than his last run in the Far East. He and Smith will be re-united with a recent opponent at Verblitz, in the form of 2023 Rugby World Cup winning flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit. The door remains open for Barrett to return to the All Blacks, as unlike Smith, Barrett has not confirmed his long-term plans to be away from the black jersey. Barrett ended his Rugby World Cup campaign by scoring the only try in the final, which sees him take an impressive accolade of scoring tries in two instalments of the showpiece match (1st vs Australia in 2015 RWC Final).

Despite not clinching the immortal accolade of becoming the only man to win three Rugby World Cups, legendary All Blacks second row Sam Whitelock had a record-breaking final run with the national side. Ahead of departing for pastures new at French Top 14 side Section Paloise, Whitelock ended his international career as the most-capped All Black of all time. Whitelock made his 150th test match cap in the 96-17 walkover win against Italy, as New Zealand closed out Pool A in emphatic fashion.

Whitelock surpassed the long standing record held by two-time Rugby World Cup winning captain Richie McCaw, and this was not the only accolade he took from his former teammate. Whitelock made his 25th Rugby World Cup cap in the final defeat to South Africa, after previously surpassing McCaw's record of 23, which he shared with former England prop Jason Leonard. Whitelock made his 152nd and final All Blacks cap in the Rugby World Cup Final, as he ran out for a 26-minute replacement appearance.

An iconic Crusader, Whitelock deserves his time in France after taking the Christchurch side to the Super Rugby mountain top seven times. He is a Super Rugby Centurion, and ends his time in the competition as the fourth most-capped Super Rugby player in history, with 180 caps for the Crusaders. Whitelock will now go on to ply his trade in Pau, and could well run out in the upcoming EPCR Challenge Cup that begins in December. An icon of the All Blacks, 35-year-old Whitelock is moving on to his next challenge for his maiden run in Europe.

Sam Whitelock's long-time partner in the All Blacks second row, Retallick and Whitelock had one last run together in the closing stages of the Rugby World Cup Final. Whitelock made a 55th minute replacement appearance for Shannon Frizzell, and packed down the scrum with Retallick for a handful of drives. The Chiefs man then departed for Dalton Papali'i, and received a resounding ovation for his final All Blacks match with nine minutes left on the clock.

Retallick joins Whitelock, Smith and Coles in the quartet of international retirees, having enjoyed an eleven year run in the famous black jersey. Retallick ends his international career as an All Blacks centurion, with a total of 109 test match appearances for New Zealand. The defining moment of the Retallick-Whitelock partnership came in the 2015 Rugby World Cup Final, with both men running out for 80-minute matches in the iconic 34-17 win over the Wallabies.

This will be Retallick's second run with the Kobelco Kobe Steelers, having previously taken a sabbatical season in Japan throughout the 2020/21 Super Rugby Aotearoa season. Retallick made 15 appearances and scored nine tries in his first run in the Far East, and returns to Kobe for his second stint at the Noevir Stadium. Retallick leaves New Zealand as a legend of the North Island, as he represented the Chiefs since 2012, and his Hawke's Bay province since 2010. Retallick became a Super Rugby champion in his first season with the Chiefs, and followed this up with a back-to-back triumph in 2013. He was then named World Rugby Player of the Year in 2014, after a stunning run of form.

Newly appointed All Blacks Head Coach Scott Robertson will be sad to see Richie Mo'unga depart, as the former Crusaders boss knows all too well the talents of the fly-half. Robertson and Mo'unga dominated the Super Rugby landscape together, as the duo won seven variations of the competition dating back to 2017. Mo'unga and Robertson ushered in the glory days for the Crusaders, as the Super Rugby title was back in Christchurch for the first time since 2008, and has not yet left.

However, Mo'unga is in-fact set to leave the Crusaders, with his move to Toshiba Brave Lupus finalised for the 2023/24 Japan Rugby League One season. This will be Mo'unga's first venture outside of the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island, as he came through the ranks in the Canterbury Provincial side, before making his Crusaders debut in 2016. Mo'unga went on to accrue a stunning 1,227 points for the Crusaders, and he holds the record for most conversions in one season, with 41 in his debut campaign.

Unlike previous top Super Rugby stars taking one-year sabbaticals to Japan, Mo'unga has committed his long-term future to Toshiba Brave Lupus. The 29-year-old has agreed a three-year deal with the Tokyo side, which rules him out an All Blacks return until at least 2026. Should Mo'unga opt to return to New Zealand at the end of his contract, he may well push towards a spot in the 2027 Rugby World Cup squad, as he would enter the latter stage of his career at 32. It's difficult to say whether Mo'unga has played his last match for the All Blacks, but if he has, the halfback finishes with 56 test caps and a total of 466 points.

Kobelco Kobe Steelers have certainly bolstered their forward pack for the upcoming season, with the signing of 2023 World Rugby Player of the Year Ardie Savea along with Brodie Retallick. Despite not coming away from France with the Web Ellis trophy, Savea's talents were recognised in the 2023 World Rugby Awards, as he was bestowed the prestigious accolade. Savea saw off the shortlisted Bundee Aki, Antoine Dupont and Eben Etzebeth to take the trophy home from Paris.

Also, Savea stars at number eight in World Rugby's Dream Team of the Year, after a stunning 12 months for the All Blacks and Hurricanes. The back-row was amongst New Zealand's top performers in the Rugby World Cup, and frequently took over the captaincy role for his country. A late back injury to Sam Cane saw the All Blacks captain miss the opening two rounds of pool stage action, and the flanker was also sent off after just 27 minutes in the Final, prompting Savea to again take on the All Blacks' armband.

Now Savea heads to Japan, and admitted openly that the financial security that comes with the move was a big incentive for the 30-year-old. Ardie follows his brother Julian's path with a move outside of New Zealand, after 131 caps throughout a decade at the Hurricanes. Ardie won the Super Rugby title in 2016, and also featured in the all-star North Island side, in the 2020 end of season North vs South Island fixture. The 78 capped All Black packs his bags for Kobe, as he, like so many other Southern Hemisphere stars, think about setting up their families for life after rugby.

The seventh and final confirmed move from New Zealand's 2023 RWC squad to Japan (as of time of writing), Shannon Frizzell will link back up with Richie Mo'unga at Toshiba Brave Lupus. Three of Japan's top clubs have all now signed a duo of top All Blacks talents, including Toyota Verblitz (Aaron Smith and Beauden Barrett), and Kobelco Steelers (Brodie Retallick and Ardie Savea). Frizzell leaves New Zealand with 33 All Blacks caps, after nailing his name to the number six jersey throughout the Rugby World Cup.

Frizzell brings a talented versatility to Brave Lupus, as he can star equally well across the back-row and as a lock. The 29-year-old was predominantly used as a blindside flanker during Ian Foster's time in charge of the All Blacks, and fought off the competition from Ethan Blackadder, Luke Jacobsen and Akira Ioane. Frizzell has also run out for the Highlanders at both lock and back-row, and even starred at number eight for his Tasman provincial side. Frizzell really came into his own in France, having progressed into a starting line-up mainstay the previous year.

Frizzell recovered from a tedious hamstring injury, in time for New Zealand's Rugby World Cup pool stage walkover wins against Italy and Uruguay. The ex-Highlander had his best performance in the semi-final victory over Argentina, as he scored two tries in the rampant win against Los Pumas. Frizzell had a moment to forget in his final All Blacks test for the forseable future, as he was sin-binned in the Rugby World Cup Final, for falling on Bongi Mbonambi's out-stretched leg in a ruck.

The final two departing All Blacks from the 2023 Rugby World Cup squad are both heading to France, beginning with prop Nepo Laulala's move to Toulouse. Laulala missed the flight home from France, and instead took the seven hour journey south from Paris to the Stade Toulousain. Laulala battled for the starting tight-head spot in Ian Foster's squad, yet was dropped to the bench for the final in favour of Tyrel Lomax. Laulala started in the tournament opener against France, and also ran out first half appearances in the pool stage wins against Namibia and Italy.

Laulala made his All Blacks half-century in the aforementioned landslide win over the Azzurri, and begins his new chapter in Toulouse as a 51-capped All Black. Unlike the majority of the other departing All Blacks, Laulala has jumped around the Super Rugby circuit. The 32-year-old began his Super Rugby career with the Crusaders in 2013, before making the swap for the Chiefs in 2016. After winning the Super Rugby title that year, he stayed for an additional four seasons in Hamilton.

The tight-head prop then made the move to play for the Auckland Blues in 2020, where he has since stayed on New Zealand's North Island. All the while, the Samoan-born prop was running out for Canterbury, and then the Counties Manukau provincial clubs, in the Super Rugby off-season. Laulala is off to embark on his newest venture, and given the revolving door of top-quality All Blacks props, the front row will soon be packed down, as Ofa Tu'ungafasi eyes up a re-calling to the tight-head spot.

The man with arguably the greatest name in rugby; Leicester Ofa Ki Wales Twickenham Fainga’anuku (seriously), is also staying in France after getting a taste of his new home during the Rugby World Cup. Fainga'anuku joins up with 2023 Challenge Cup winners Toulon, which is a club that has previously housed some of the all-time great All Blacks. Fainga'anuku follows in the footsteps of Ma'a Nonu and Tana Umaga at Toulon, and is eager to make some history of his own.

Despite being in the infancy of his international career, the 24-year-old has decided to step away from the All Blacks, after a breakthrough couple of seasons at the Crusaders. Fainga'anuku has an impressive strike rate for club and country, with 35 tries in 55 matches for the Crusaders, and five tries in just seven All Blacks matches. Fainga'anuku was often seen doing the 'shark fin' try celebration at the Rugby World Cup, which is a nod to his provincial club Tasman Mako.

Fainga'anuku had an explosive Rugby World Cup campaign as he scored all five of his All Blacks tries in France. Fainga'anuku scored in New Zealand's dismantling of Namibia, before adding a World Cup hat-trick against Uruguay. The winger's most significant score came in the quarter-finals, as he added a key try in the All Blacks narrow victory over Ireland, and ended a run of 17 unbeaten matches for Andy Farrell's side.