Mo’unga plays down key tackle

Crusaders fly-half Richie Mo’unga revealed it was more luck than judgment that saw him set up Israel Dagg for his try against the Chiefs.

With the game in the balance, Mo’unga tackled James Lowe from his blindside and dislodged the ball that fell into Dagg’s hands for the score.

That made it 15-6 on 49 minutes before Seta Tamanivalu’s double made sure of the 27-13 victory and a final against the Lions in Johannesburg.

“I just went to tackle him – I just hit the ball,” he told Stuff with the Crusaders currently travelling to South Africa. “Some of those moments went our way. Things could have been different if Tim (Chiefs wing Tim Nanai-Williams) had scored that try, it was a big momentum change.”

This coming weekend is going to be a special occasion for all and Mo’unga admitted the last time the Crusaders won the Super Rugby title back in 2008 at Lancaster Park in Christchurch, he was a youngster who was star struck over a certain All Black 10 playing in that match.

“I was working for Vbase and got a photo with Dan Carter as he was walking out the stadium,” he said. That was pretty special. It’s pretty surreal to be in a good position to be in… to be able to make the final and give something back to the city is pretty important for me.”