Rugby: Blues back Munro negotiating move to France

Lachie Munro. Photo / APN

If Blues utility back Lachie Munro was having second thoughts as he negotiates a move to France, they would have been swept away this week.

Munro, a fullback, first-five or wing, has quickly fallen from favour this season, and was released by the Blues to play for his Northland club Mid Western in the Southern Districts competition last weekend.

If anything, the selection of wider training group midfielder Hadleigh Parkes at fullback for tomorrow night's match against the Highlanders in Dunedin will probably make his decision easier.

"I was about to start renegotiating my contract with the Blues and the opportunity came up to go to France," Munro, 25, told the Northern Advocate.

"I felt it was the right time to go and have a crack at playing overseas ... it was mostly an age thing," Munro, who was reluctant to reveal what club he was negotiating with, said.

"It's a chance to go over and not necessarily make lots of money, but a chance to live in another country and see the world. I have lots of friends travelling over there at the moment and I can still come back to play in New Zealand."

Blues coach Pat Lam, who selected Parkes on the right wing for the Sharks match, pulled another selection surprise this week with the swapping of Rene Ranger and Benson Stanley. Ranger will move to centre alongside Ma'a Nonu, with Stanley, normally a midfielder, moving to the left wing.

Munro made three high-profile mistakes in the loss to the Hurricanes at Eden Park in round five last month which led to three tries to the visitors, but was selected at wing in the team's next match, a loss to the Rebels in Melbourne.

Now it appears he has slipped off the Blues radar.

Munro played for the Blues in 2009 and 2010 despite not being selected in the initial squads and last year was selected for the Blues' full squad for the first time.