Richie Mo’unga coy on possible All Blacks return for Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour
Richie Mo'unga has become eligible for All Blacks selection again after featuring for Canterbury in a NPC game against Auckland.
Richie Mo’unga has remained tight-lipped regarding the possibility of making a return to international rugby with the All Blacks during their current tour of South Africa.
Mo’unga made a triumphant return to New Zealand rugby when he came off the replacements bench and scored the match-winning try for Canterbury in a thrilling National Provincial Championship (NPC) clash with Auckland in Christchurch on Saturday.
That means the 32-year-old fly-half has become eligible for All Blacks selection on Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour in South Africa.
The men in black will take on all four of South Africa’s URC sides ahead of three clashes with the Springboks in Johannesburg (twice) and Cape Town, before Baltimore hosts the fourth and final Test on September 12.
New Zealand kick off their six-week tour against the Stormers at the DHL Stadium on August 7.
Initially barred from All Blacks selection
All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie was initially barred from selecting Mo’unga from his 44-man squad for the South African tour as he was plying his trade with Japan Rugby League One outfit Toshiba Brave Lupus since representing New Zealand at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in Japan.
Widely regarded as one of the game’s leading playmakers, Mo’unga played a leading role for the Crusaders when they won seven consecutive Super Rugby titles between 2017 and 2023.
After finishing his three-year stint with Toshiba Brave Lupus last month, Mo’unga spent some time on the sidelines nursing a calf injury but made a recovery and came off the bench in the 52nd minute against Auckland to make his first appearance in the NPC since 2020.
He was soon in the thick of the action and in the 78th minute he jinked past three defenders before crossing the whitewash and added the extras off the kicking tee to hand Canterbury a 38-31 victory in their tournament opener.
After the match, Mo’unga was questioned about the possibility of joining the All Blacks on their South African tour but he was coy with his response.
Returning All Black Richie Mo’unga scores winner in provincial return despite ‘shaky’ start
‘Whatever happens, happens’
“I’m not too sure – you know just as much as me. [I will] ‘be where my feet are’ and whatever happens, happens,” he told The Press.
Last week, when announcing his squad for Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour, Rennie revealed that Mo’unga could be added to his squad.
“There is a chance,” he responded when asked if Mo’unga could still feature on the tour. “He will play for Canterbury this weekend, and then once he’s done that, if we had an injury at 10, then he’s an option to come in.”
Ruben Love was the All Blacks’ first choice fly-half during their Nations Championship victories over France, Italy and Ireland in New Zealand last month.
Love, Damian McKenzie, Beauden Barrett and Josh Jacomb were the four number 10s selected in Rennie’s squad for the All Blacks’ South African tour.
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Last year, when it was revealed that Mo’unga had a new deal with New Zealand Rugby, he was asked how he feels about having to represent Canterbury in the NPC before becoming eligible for the All Blacks’ tour to South Africa and he replied: “Any time you get the opportunity to represent your province is an honour,” he says. “I grew up watching and playing for Canterbury and the Crusaders in some great teams.
“I am excited to play for Canterbury. Is it what I want to do or why I am coming back to New Zealand? No, it’s not. That South African tour is actually something I’d love to be part of.
“I get the rules that have been put in place and I guess I have to come to grips with that is what it is. But yeah, the South African tour would be something special to be part of.”
