All Blacks lock Patrick Tuipulotu will not report for duty with the Blues Super Rugby franchise next week and will be sidelined indefinitely by an "ongoing personal matter".
Tuipulotu toured the Northern Hemisphere with the national side last November, starting against Ireland in Chicago and then against Italy in Rome but the giant second rower returned home a week early, along with injured flanker Sam Cane and utility back Ben Smith, for what coach Steve Hansen described at the time as "personal reasons".
Tuipulotu has been with the Blues since 2014, playing 34 games and scoring five tries.
He made his All Blacks debut that same year, coming on as a substitute in a 28‑27 win over England in Dunedin, and has 12 test caps.
Meanwhile, the 2017 Super Rugby season kicks off on the 23rd of next month with the Melbourne Rebels hosting the Blues.
Source: NZ Hearld
