Ex-All Black makes bold claims about ‘once-in-a-lifetime leader’ Richie Mo’unga after Japan success
All Blacks fly-half Richie Mo'unga and former Crusaders head coach Todd Blackadder.
Former Crusaders head coach Todd Blackadder believes that the All Blacks will be getting an improved Richie Mo’unga should he decide to return to New Zealand next year.
The fly-half is currently out of the Test reckoning having signed a three-year deal with Toshiba Brave Lupus, which came into effect after the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Mo’unga has helped Toshiba to successive Japan Rugby League One titles and is looking to make it a three-peat next year.
Rugby World Cup desire
After that, the playmaker’s focus will likely switch to returning home and getting into Scott Robertson’s All Blacks squad for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
The 31-year-old has expressed a desire to feature in the global tournament and, with his contract ending in Japan in 2026, New Zealand could well be his next destination.
“I think Richie’s getting better. There’s always that little bit on social media when they talk about Richie, but I actually think he’s just way better. Every week and every season that I see him play, he just goes to another level,” Blackadder, who coaches him at Toshiba, told Newstalk ZB.
“Could he come back, if he wanted to, to be an All Black? Absolutely. Is he on top of his game? Absolutely. If he decides to do that, or the All Blacks decide to select him, if that’s the direction they want to go in the future, then he will be well and truly ready for that challenge.
“And that man loves a good challenge.”
Blackadder is a former All Black who knew Mo’unga fairly well prior to his Japan stint having had a season with the fly-half while both were at the Crusaders.
The 53-year-old departed the Christchurch outfit at the end of the 2016 Super Rugby campaign but the two reunited ahead of the 2023/2024 Japanese season.
“He is an absolute joy to coach, and he’s more than just a player; he’s one of those once-in-a-lifetime leaders,” Blackadder said.
“Him and Yoshi (Morita), our attack coach, they put a lot of preparation in throughout the week to make sure they’ve got the plan right. He’s just always working with the coaching team on how we can make this team better together.
“And then obviously out on the field, he’s just such a leader. When he speaks, the boys listen; it makes sense. Half-time chats, he’s absolutely bang-on with his messaging, and what needs to happen. He’s just at that stage of his career, I think, where he just seems free. He’s enjoying himself.
“Last week, he had a broken hand, which is well-documented, and we didn’t think at the start of the week that he would play. He didn’t train all week.
“We waited until gameday, and he went out there and had another absolute man of the match performance. I can’t speak highly enough of what he’s done for this team, and growing us to be better week in and week out.”
Mo’unga’s next move
New Zealand Rugby attempted to bring Mo’unga back early from his Japan stint but that deal fell through.
The fly-half will now see out the rest of his contract in Japan before assessing his future. At the moment, a return to New Zealand appears the most likely but he also has the option of switching nationalities and remaining abroad.
Mo’unga will be eligible to feature for either Samoa or Tonga at the next World Cup, which would allow him to achieve his goal while also picking up a more lucrative deal overseas.
“The All Blacks, that’s absolutely his choice, and it’s up to him what he wants to do. I think enjoyment is something that he really focuses on,” Blackadder added.
“He’s over here with his family as well, and we’ve got him for another season as well as Shannon Frizell, and between those two, they’ve had a huge impact on Toshiba, our team and also the quality and standard of how they’ve performed week in, and week out in League One.”
