Vunibaka off to Japan after Final

Fiji and Crusaders winger Marika Vunibaka has signed a three-year contract with a Japanese club and will leave New Zealand at the end of the NPC season.

The veteran winger will play his last match for Canterbury on Saturday when they face Wellington in the Air New Zealand NPC Final. And he admits that his age was a factor in his decision to leave for Japan.

Vunibaka joins a number of veteran players, including former Wallaby Toutai Kefu and Crusaders team-mate Leon MacDonald, plying their trade in Japan, although MacDonald may be considering a move back to New Zealand next season.

"I guess my age was a factor, turning 30 next month. I felt like this is the right time to head overseas," Vunibaka told One Sport.

"I'm looking forward to new experiences and challenges. It will certainly be a very different culture to New Zealand and Fiji."

Vunibaka first played for the Crusaders and for Canterbury in the year 2000.

Since then, the 29-year-old has played 50 Super 12 games, 27 for his province. He has also represented Fiji 17 times, making his test debut in 1999.