Gear (28) said yesterday he had turned down an offer from the Toshiba club in Japan and was likely to stay with the Highlanders next season.
After Gear was left out of the 35-man All Blacks training squad announced earlier this month, it looked as though the big winger would be heading overseas, saying last week he was considering an offer from Japan.
But after some thinking and discussions with friends and family, including brother Rico, a former All Black who is playing rugby in Japan, Gear has decided to stay in New Zealand and chase the dream of playing again in the All Blacks jersey.
It was not an easy decision to come to, Gear admitted, and one that involved not just his playing future.
"A lot of thinking went into it. A lot of sacrifices had to be made.
"Obviously, I wanted to set my young family up.
"But we have decided I still really want to have a crack at the black jersey," he said.
He said the All Blacks coaches had been in touch but he was just concentrating on what he needed to do on the field.
"There is no point in them investing in me if I am not going to hang around.
"I have decided to hang around and give it a really good crack.
"I still want to better myself as a player and there is no better place for that than New Zealand."
His decision to stay in New Zealand is also good news for the Highlanders.
Though nothing has been signed yet, Gear indicated he would be almost certainly be staying with the Highlanders.
"That is the plan at this stage.
"We are quite settled here and it would be a big move to uplift the family and go anywhere else."
Gear and partner Kate Yates have 7-month-old twins, Michah and Kaden-Ray, along with a 5-year-old daughter, Kaliyah, and the family was enjoying the Dunedin lifestyle, he said.
His decision to stay was a surprise for Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph, who was unaware yesterday his No1 winger had made the decision to stay in New Zealand.
Gear, who has played eight tests, has been an irregular All Black since he made his debut in 2008.
He was the form winger in New Zealand rugby in 2010 but missed out initially on the 2011 World Cup squad, before joining the side as a replacement player.
His form has been patchy in his first season with the Highlanders but he felt improvement had started in the close win over the Bulls last week.
"It was a step in the right direction for myself. Next week is another stepping stone.
"I think I just need to try and do what I am good at. Just trying to beat defenders with footwork.
"Looking for space, really. Communicating with the boys and demanding the ball."
