Richie Mo’unga’s return to New Zealand Rugby has been confirmed, and it’s being met with excitement – and a little bit of trepidation from across the Tasman.
The 31-year-old first-five will play one more season with Toshiba Brave Lupus in Japan, before returning to New Zealand in mid-2026 on an 18-month contract, that will see him represent the Crusaders and Canterbury once again.
Whether he makes the All Blacks once eligible in October 2026 remains to be seen, but with his quality, few would argue against slipping him straight back into a black jersey.
A longtime teammate of Mo’unga at the Crusaders, Bryn Hall - who is also currently playing rugby in Japan - told Martin Devlin on the DSPN that anytime you can get a player of Mo’unga’s calibre, you get him.
"The growth that he's had in terms of being able to drive a program, having more of a coaching role, being able to bring people with him. He was already doing that at the Crusaders, but at a different level."
Hall is confident the shift back to the international arena will be seamless for Mo’unga, whose last season playing test rugby delivered a World Rugby Dream Team nomination at first-five.
"I think the only thing that he hasn't won is a World Cup, so you'd have to think that would be a massive motivating factor for him to come back and try and at least win a World Cup.
"He's got an affiliation with Razor. A lot of that coaching group has some unfinished business in terms of that All Black jersey."
That of course must be an itch Mo’unga can’t quite scratch, going oh so close in the 2023 World Cup final against the Springboks. With his long-time Super Rugby coach now leading the All Blacks, a reunion felt inevitable and less so a bold prediction.
Meanwhile, across the ditch, Australian legend and double World Cup winner Tim Horan had no hesitation in calling Mo'unga's move what it is.
“Certainly great news for New Zealand Rugby. Terrible news for Australian Rugby,” Horan chuckled.
“He is one of my favourite players… what he did for the Crusaders over so many years. I reckon he and Beauden Barrett kept Super Rugby alive for a couple of years, because it was waning a little bit.
"The excitement that they put into Super Rugby, especially when they came to Australia… they brought so many fans to the game.
“He knows what he's got to do in 18 months’ time… if there's a few injuries and issues [between now and then], I'm sure they'll [the All Blacks coaches] slot him in a bit early if they need."
It’s hard not to leap ahead and picture Mo’unga back in the All Blacks number 10 jersey at the 2027 World Cup. New Zealand’s playmaking stocks already include rising talents and the seasoned duo of Barrett and Damian McKenzie. Mo’unga’s return just adds another layer of intrigue to an already simmering selection battle.
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