Marty Banks is heading to Japan after signing a contract with second-tier club NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes.

Former Highlanders and Tasman Mako cult hero Marty Banks has signed with a Japanese second-tier club.

The 28-year-old first-five, who once swigged a can of beer thrown at him by a spectator before kicking a conversion, is swapping Benetton for the NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes after just one season in the Pro 14 competition.

He tweeted that he was "looking forward to the next chapter," in a unique rugby career that has seen him play in Russia and in New Zealand's amateur Heartland Championship before getting his break with Tasman in the Mitre 10 Cup.

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Banks has scored 83 points across 14 games for Italian strugglers Benetton.