Wellington, March 12 NZPA - All Black utility Tamati Ellison will head to Japan later this year.

The Dominion Post newspaper reported today that Ellison, 26, had put his family's future ahead of his chances of playing for the All blacks in next year's World Cup.

Ellison would activate his out-clause in his New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) contract before this year's national provincial championship, his agent Bruce Sharrock told the paper.

Sharrock would not say which Japanese company had signed.

Ellison made his All Blacks debut last year against Italy in Milan, and played against the Barbarians at Twickenham.

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