Springboks legends’ ‘loophole’ Richie Mo’unga prediction after ‘stupid’ NZ Rugby decision for South Africa tour
All Blacks fly-half Richie Mo'unga picking up award in Japan and Springboks legend Schalk Burger.
Jean de Villiers and Schalk Burger insist that the Springboks would never allow one of their star players to miss The Greatest Rivalry Series on a “technicality”.
The All Blacks head to South Africa in August to face their arch-rivals but, as things stand, they will definitely be without Richie Mo’unga.
Despite returning to New Zealand at the end of the Japan Rugby League One season, which concludes in June, the fly-half will not be eligible until October.
That means he will miss the Nations Championship fixtures in July and the Tests with the Springboks in August and September.
NZ Rugby’s firm stance
New All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie has asked NZ Rugby to make an exception for Mo’unga, but the governing body are refusing to budge.
The playmaker could be called up if there are injuries, however, and Burger therefore expects to see the 31-year-old involved in some form.
“I guess there will be an ‘injury’, that’s what I think will happen. That’s the legislation but he’s such a good player, he will somehow make the trip,” the former back-rower said on the Boks Unpacked podcast.
“He will hide away for the first week and someone will have a toe [issue] bending backwards and he will be on the plane.
“He should be, he’s a great player.”
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De Villiers agreed and believes that Rennie should be able to have Mo’unga available to him for the upcoming Springboks series.
Springboks would ‘find a way’
“If you feel that there’s a player, and it’s Richie Mo’unga in this instance, that can make a difference to your squad and can add value to a squad, surely a technicality like that will not hold him back,” he said.
“They’ve got the authorities and people in charge there that can just make a call. The coach, Dave Rennie, can make a call and say: ‘I want that guy, he’s playing in New Zealand now, he needs to come on tour’.
“Certainly if it was South Africa, we would find a way round that because it would just be stupid. Imagine he goes and plays an NPC game and gets injured, or something ridiculous.”
Burger then chimed in, adding: “Especially because they’ve made the commitment. If they were continuing or doing half a contract [in Japan], they’re coming back to New Zealand rugby to play and further their careers there – that’s a big enough commitment. You then don’t have to put them through a club game or in our case a Currie Cup or SA Cup game.
“I think they will find a loophole in and around that injury term.”
Mo’unga is set to return to New Zealand after three seasons in Japan with Toshiba Brave Lupus, but NZ Rugby laws stipulate that he must feature in the NPC before playing Test rugby having decided not to recommit to the governing body post-2023 World Cup.
That is different to the likes of Ardie Savea whose short-term stints in Asia were part of the contract he signed with NZR.
