Reviews out of France recommend versatile Blues again AJ Lam might be heading offshore, with Top 14 middleweights Clermont stated to be circling the proficient 27-year-old.
The membership at present sit eleventh on the Prime 14 desk, staring down the barrel of one other 50 per cent win season, with goals of escaping the mediocrity that has progressively captured them within the 2020s.
Rugbyrama this week reviews that Lam, an All Blacks XV consultant in 2024 who was then referred to as into the All Blacks as coaching cowl, is concerned in contract negotiations with the central French membership.
Whereas Lam has been named within the 2026 Blues squad, the approaching season will see him full the ultimate yr of his contract with New Zealand Rugby.
Beginning his skilled profession as a winger, Lam’s emergence alongside Rieko Ioane within the midfield was a powerful power within the Blues’ Tremendous Rugby Pacific title run of 2024. Whereas that type was largely continued in 2025, an All Blacks XV omission signalled one thing was within the air.
All Blacks XV selectors have ignored gamers whose long-term dedication to New Zealand was in query, with fellow Blues star Ricky Riccitelli a sufferer of the choice coverage forward of his departure earlier this yr.
Ought to pen be put to paper, Lam would be a part of a trio of capped All Blacks – fellow 2024 Tremendous Rugby champion Harry Plummer, Pita-Gus Sowakula, and George Moala – at Clermont. Los Pumas stars Marcos Kremer and Bautista Delguay additionally name the membership house.
There’s loads of motion within the Blues’ midfield shares for the time being, with Rieko Ioane set to spend the remaining 2025/26 URC season with Leinster, earlier than returning for the ultimate yr of his NZR contract in 2027.
Serial Prime 14 champion Pita Ahki is on his approach house for the 2026 Blues marketing campaign, supplementing Ioane’s 87 Take a look at caps with seven European membership trophies.
Up-and-comer Corey Evans additionally stays an choice for Vern Cotter, having confirmed his versatility throughout varied positions within the backline within the 2025 Tremendous Rugby season earlier than starring within the midfield for Northland within the NPC.
Latest New Zealand U20 graduates Xavi Taele and James Cameron full the 2026 Blues squad’s midfield shares, every coming into Tremendous Rugby as extremely touted Auckland merchandise who began at exterior centre for the 2024 and 2025 U20 campaigns, respectively.
