Benji Marshall faces the media at a press conference announcing his decision © Getty Images

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Former New Zealand rugby league captain Benji Marshall has been released from his rugby union contracts in New Zealand, freeing him up to make a swift return to rugby league.

The decision came following a meeting between Marshall and Auckland Blues coach John Kirwan about his future following a poor performance against the Hurricanes last week. The release was agreed and rubber stamped by the New Zealand board on Wednesday.

Marshall switched codes to try to win a place with the All Blacks at the 2015 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics but he struggled to adapt. He made eight appearances for the Blues but was unable to stake a serious claim to a starting place.

"I sat down with Benji and said I wouldn't be able to pick him in the 23 this week and felt that he needed to take a step backwards to come forwards, playing some club rugby and for the Blues development team to work on his game," Kirwan said. "I asked him honestly if he felt rugby was the game for him and his response was that he felt like a league player playing rugby union and that things weren't happening as fast as he would have liked so we both decided it was probably best for him to return to playing league."

After only playing 212 minutes in eight games of Super Rugby Marshall chose to leave the sport, but said frustration wasn't behind his motivation to leave. "I'm just an average rugby player." Marshall said. "I gave rugby a go and it didn't work out. However I feel like through being at the Blues I was able to find myself again, find some hunger, get fit and on top of that and more importantly I feel like I've become a better person.

"On the field I certainly wanted to achieve more than how it panned out. It didn't go that way but in terms of life it did 100%. The Blues gave me the opportunity to be myself and express myself and I feel like I'm leaving as a better player and a better person for it."