Loose forward Whetu Douglas will return to the Crusaders for the 2019-20 seasons.

Douglas, 27, made a big impression for the Crusaders at the start of last year - he made five starts at No 8 and was used as a substitute once. He relocated to Italian Pro 14 club Treviso mid-way through the 2017 Super Rugby season because he had signed a deal with them over the off-season.

With Pete Samu to leave at the end of the current campaign because he has inked a deal with the Brumbies, the Crusaders opted to re-sign Douglas who had joined Treviso on a deal for the 2017-18 northern season. Douglas has also signed with Canterbury for the next two seasons, and will join them ahead of the Mitre 10 Cup campaign.

Despite being drafted in as injury replacement for injured No 8 Kieran Read over the 2016 summer, the Crusaders quickly discovered Douglas was a player of immense talent. His ability to use his ball skills, speed and fitness proved a valuable asset and when Read returned to full fitness they hoped to keep Douglas on their books. But he was committed to Pro 14 side Treviso, who were coached by former All Blacks fullback Kieran Crowley.

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Douglas scored a try in each of the team's first two matches of the year - against the Brumbies and Highlanders - and went on to score another try in his last game, against the Sunwolves in week eight.

Crusaders coach Scott Robertson said Douglas would be a welcome addition in 2019: "Whetu was a standout player in our 2017 season. He joined the squad as injury cover, slotted in to our team environment effortlessly and became a crowd favourite very early on. He's the ultimate team man - humble and hardworking – and he holds great mana among our group. Whetu has a phenomenal attitude and a real willingness to dig deep for his team-mates, so we're excited to have him commit for the next two seasons."



Canterbury coach Joe Maddock was also enthusiastic about the new addition to his squad: "Whetu will be a fantastic asset to our loose forward stocks this year, and we are pleased he has made the decision to return to New Zealand with his family. He'll be better for his experience playing overseas, and I'm sure his knowledge will be invaluable among our young squad this season."



A Waikato representative from 2013-2016, Douglas was named in the Māori All Blacks squad for the first time in 2016, for their end-of-year tour to Chicago, London and Ireland.



Douglas said he was looking forward to continuing his career in Christchurch: "Not only am I excited to be playing in New Zealand and in the Super Rugby competition, I am excited and honoured to be joining the Crusaders and Canterbury for the next two years. The history of excellence in this region, I believe, is the best fit for me to reach my full potential as a professional rugby player.



"I am grateful for this opportunity, and my family and I look forward to joining the Christchurch community soon."