Departing ACT Brumbies centre Andrew Smith hopes finalising his future in Ireland will help him focus on his bid to be part of a Super Rugby championship before he leaves Australia.
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Smith will quit Australian rugby at the end of the Super Rugby campaign to start a one-year deal with Irish club Munster.
The 29-year-old is the second Brumbies player to announce a move to Europe, following captain Ben Mowen's decision to sign a deal in France.
The club is locked in negotiations with a host of off-contract stars – including Christian Lealiifano, Matt Toomua, Nic White, Fotu Auelua, Scott Sio and Jesse Mogg – to keep the squad together for next season and beyond.
It is understood the Brumbies are close to finalising some deals in the coming weeks.
Smith said the chance to play abroad convinced him it was "the right time" to move to Europe after turning down offers last year to stay in Canberra.
"Losing the final last year really hurts and I want to go one better this year," Smith said.
"I thought last year it was a good time to stay here and give it a crack. But this is the right time for me and my family to give it a go."
Smith hasn't completely turned his back on Australian rugby, admitting he could be lured back in the coming years if the Irish experience isn't what he expected.
The hard-running outside centre has struggled for consistent game time over the past two years.
Injuries opened the door for Tevita Kuridrani to slot into the No.13 jersey and the powerful Fijian made his Test debut last year.
It leaves Smith in a battle to hold on to his place in the Brumbies' game-day squad, with a star-studded back line set to be bolstered by Henry Speight's return in two weeks.
Kuridrani is preparing for a personal battle of his own against the Canterbury Crusaders in Christchurch on Saturday.
The Test back will line up against giant cousin Nemani Nadolo for the first time since they were kids.
Nadolo is one of the biggest wingers in Super Rugby, standing at 195 centimetres and weighing 130 kilograms.
Nadolo went to the same school as Brumbies winger Joseph Tomane, who described the Crusaders flyer as "Zeus-like".
"He's always been big, we'll have to try to stop him before he even runs the ball," Kuridrani said.
"He's always been the biggest of all the family. We've never played against each other because he was older than me. When we catch up it's more of a kava session and talking footy."
