Cullen Grace will leave the Crusaders at the end of his current stint with the franchise, with the loose forward set to join Welsh club Scarlets ahead of the 2026-27 season.
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The move will bring to an end a seven-season career with the Crusaders, a period that saw Grace develop from a teenage prospect into an All Black and established Super Rugby player.
“I was just a teenager when I came into this environment, so I’ve grown a lot both on and off the field in my time here. Red and black will always be a part of my life, and I’ll miss this place and the people here the most, but I’m excited for this move,” says Grace.
Grace joined the Crusaders squad in 2020 at the age of 19, making him the youngest player named in any New Zealand Super Rugby squad that season.
Born in Hāwera, Grace arrived in Christchurch after standing out at Timaru Boys’ High School. He went on to represent New Zealand Secondary Schools, Canterbury Under-19 and the New Zealand Under-20 team while progressing through the Crusaders Academy system.
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He made his provincial debut for Canterbury in 2019 and was named Canterbury Rugby A First Year Player alongside Dallas McLeod at the Canterbury Rugby Awards later that year.
Grace’s rise through the ranks continued with selection for the All Blacks in 2020. He became All Black No. 1192 and made his international debut against Australia in Brisbane. He has also represented the Māori All Blacks on multiple occasions.
In 2024, Grace reached the milestone of 50 appearances for the Crusaders.
“Scarlets is a very proud rugby club with a great history and tradition and that was something that really appealed to me. It is a challenge I am really looking forward to and I can’t wait to get started,” says Grace.
Before heading to Wales, Grace will remain in New Zealand through the 2026 National Provincial Championship season and is expected to feature in Canterbury’s campaign before relocating to Llanelli later in the year.
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