Shannon Frizell to return to rugby in New Zealand
- 16 minutes ago
- 1 min read
Former All Blacks loose forward Shannon Frizell will return to the Highlanders for the 2027 Super Rugby season.
The Highlanders have also confirmed he will link back up with the Tasman Mako later this year.
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Frizell left New Zealand Rugby at the end of the 2023 World Cup where he started on the side of the scrum in the final but was given a yellow card in the second minute of the 12-11 loss in Paris.
He has since played 37 matches for Toshiba Brave Lupus in Japan where his club won back-to-back championships in 2024 and 2025, but will arrive back in Aotearoa before the start of the NPC.
The 33-test Tongan-born loose forward made his Highlanders debut in 2018 and earned All Blacks selection later that same year.
Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph welcomed Frizell's return.
"It's great to see a seasoned international player prepared to return to Super Rugby to have a crack at making the All Blacks. He knows our culture well, he's a hard-working player, and he'll fit seamlessly into our team.
The arrival of Shannon will give further impetus to that, and it's exciting news for our fans to welcome back a player of his calibre."
