Former All Black and Blues loose forward Andrew Blowers is cutting short his stint in Britain to return to New Zealand for family reasons.

Blowers, who has been playing for Bristol in the English Premiership, has announced he will be leaving on January 11 to head back to New Zealand, nearly six months before his contract expires, British media report.

Blowers has been released by the club on compassionate grounds after one of his children struggled to settle in Britain.

Blowers, who played 18 matches (11 tests) for the All Blacks, had five seasons in English rugby with Northampton before returning to New Zealand for a brief stint as a Super 14 player for the Highlanders.

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