After nearly five years plying his trade with French side Pau, double World Cup winning All Black Colin Slade has been forced to return to New Zealand due to the outbreak of Covid-19.
Saying goodbye to New Zealand after the 2015 Rugby World Cup, 32-year-old Slade has been with Pau in the Top 14, making 79 appearances.
However, the global sporting shutdown forced Slade to make a hasty return to New Zealand from France, forced to leave most of his family's belongings.
"Pretty sad to leave after four-and-a-half years," Slade told 1 NEWS.
"Left friends behind without even being able to say goodbye. We had to leave the house as is and even left the dog there."
Luckily, neighbour and teammate Luke Whitelock is on hand to take care of dog, Coby.
Now back in New Zealand, Slade is biding his time until he can return to playing, signed on with Japan's Mitsubishi Dynaboars from January.
However, Slade is also pessimistic about following the likes of Sam Whitelock and Nehe Milner-Skudder in returning to Super Rugby, conceding that a grassroots club return may be the most likely option.
"It's an interesting one. I suppose I'll cross that bridge if it happens, but I'm not actively looking for it."
Another of Slade's French teammates, compatriot Ben Smith, has been linked with a Super Rugby return himself, rumoured over a possible Highlanders comeback.
Slade, though, is pouring cold water on those notions, having been quarantined with Smith in an Auckland hotel during lockdown.
"Bender's [Smith] playing Highlanders, is he?
"He's kept that under his radar. I've been living with Bender for the past 56 days and I haven't heard anything about that."
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