All Black player has stripped down completely naked for magazine

Highlanders star Malakai Fekitoa may have been dropped from the national side but he has made it into one of the most sought-after magazine issues in the world.

Fekitoa is one of 23 athletes from around the world who will feature in the The Body Issue of ESPN The Magazine.

The magazine is heavily promoted and is seen by many athletes as a prestigious one in which to appear.

Fekitoa is joined in the magazine by the likes of tennis player Caroline Wozniacki, basketballer Isaiah Thomas and American footballer Ezekiel Elliott.

Fekitoa is believed to be the first Kiwi athlete and only the second rugby player to be featured in The Body Issue.

He is seen in a promotional clip, lying on a beach, talking about how hard he works to get his body in shape.

All 23 of the athletes featured in the issue appear naked, with some discreetly placed sporting equipment or camera angles.

It is not known when Fekitoa did his photo shoot or how it came about.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission.