The second-row forward joined the Blues from Taranaki last summer and made an instant impact with supporters, being voted player of the year in his debut season after making 22 appearances for the region.

The 30-year-old forward has previously captained Taranaki, The Hurricanes, New Zealand Under-21s and has also led the New Zealand Maoris to victory in the 2006 Churchill Cup.

Tito said: "Dai [Young] asked me and there were a couple of things I wanted to do before accepting, such as talk to some of the senior players and make sure I had their full support.

“They were right behind me, which made the decision easy. There's no point trying to lead a team without some of the big boys supporting you. It was a decision I thought about for a while and I'm proud to be captain of the Blues next season."

Director of rugby David Young added: "Xavier [Rush] has decided to step down as Captain after doing a great job for two years in the role for us."

"He also led the Auckland Blues for a number of years and felt that relinquishing the Captain's armband would help his own game."

"We are glad that Paul had agreed to become Captain for the forthcoming season. He has shown his leadership qualities both on and off the pitch since his arrival and is looking forward to the new season."