Star playmaker Richie Mo'unga confirms when he'll make his NZ return
Mo'unga, 31, who has played 57 Tests for the All Blacks, has agreed an 18-month deal that will take him to the Rugby World Cup in Australia in 2027.
Mo'unga's announcement is hugely significant for the fact it finally confirms his short-term future after he failed to come to an agreement with NZ Rugby to return this year, plus his willingness to return to Christchurch to wear the red and black of Canterbury and the Crusaders, two teams he has enjoyed a huge amount of success with.
However, there is also significance in the fact Mo'unga, the All Blacks' first-choice No.10 when he left immediately after the 2023 World Cup final in France, will not be eligible to represent New Zealand until October next year, meaning he will miss the inaugural Nations Cup Tests here in July and "Greatest Rivalry" tour of South Africa in August and September.
NZ Rugby confirmed he would not be eligible until the two Bledisloe Cup Tests in October, and potentially the Northern Hemisphere tour after that.
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'The agreement sees Mo'unga return to Canterbury Rugby for the 2026 and 2027 Bunnings Warehouse NPC seasons, the Crusaders for the 2027 DHL Super Rugby Pacific season and become eligible for All Blacks selection from October 2026,' a NZ Rugby statement today revealed.
It would strike as odd that Mo'unga, whom NZ Rugby have chased so hard, will potentially be running around the fields of Invercargill, Tauranga and Palmerston North while Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie and potentially Ruben Love do battle against the Boks and the likes of the Bulls and Stormers on an epic tour of South Africa.
Several other questions immediately spring to mind regarding what is a unique contract – the first being why Mo'unga did not sign a longer one to take in the British and Irish Lions tour here which is scheduled for 2029, and the second being whether he could have negotiated an earlier start with the All Blacks had he done so to help get around NZ Rugby's byzantine eligiblity rules.
Richie Mo'unga celebrates with the Super Rugby Pacific trophy after the Crusaders beat the Chiefs in Hamilton in 2023. (Source: Photosport)
Another is that had he signed a longer-term deal, say to the end of 2029, he potentially could have built a sabbatical clause into it which would have allowed him to return to Toshiba, where he has been for the last two seasons and who he will represent again for the 2026-27 season.
Such details will be known only to Mo'unga and his representatives and the contracting team at NZ Rugby, but after the initial delight his many supporters may feel at seeing the serial championship winner return to these shores, there will naturally be questions about his medium- and long-term goals.
For now, though, Canterbury and the Crusaders will be overjoyed at the prospect of his return as there were some indications he could have been swayed by the prospect of playing for Moana Pasifika, although his Crusaders tattoo is a good indication as to where his loyalties lie.
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Mo'unga, who has played 109 matches and scored 1,230 points for the Crusaders, called time on his career with the franchise in 2023 after leading them to a seventh-successive title.
As the Crusaders said in their statement, Mo'unga is one of the most influential players in Super Rugby history.
'The Crusaders have always been a huge part of my life – not just as a player, but as a person,' Mo'unga said in a statement.
Richie Mo'unga on the move for Toshiba Brave Lupus in June. (Source: Photosport)
"I can't wait to return in 2027 and continue to build on the legacy of the franchise. I'm really looking forward to reconnecting with the fans and contributing to the environment both on and off the field.'
As reported by 1News in January, Mo'unga declined the offer to return to New Zealand after the recent Japan League One season, preferring to honour his contract with the Brave Lupus.
'I've grown a lot during my time in Japan with Toshiba, both on and off the field. It's been an incredible experience with my family that I'll always be grateful for, and I'm really excited for one more season with them,' he said.
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Crusaders head coach Rob Penney, who recently agreed a one-year extension to his contract and so may not be in his current position in 2027, said: 'Richie's connection to this club runs deep and he is a great Crusader man.
'We're really blessed with the talent that we have in the Crusaders and having Richie back will not only enhance the team and have a positive influence over the group, but it will also ensure his legacy lives on long after he has departed.'
NZ Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson said: 'We're really pleased to have Richie re-committing to New Zealand Rugby, the Crusaders and Canterbury Rugby. He's a proven talent with a strong track record of performing on the biggest stages. His experience and leadership will be a tremendous asset in the environments he joins on his return to New Zealand.'
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With veteran Wayde Egan rested another week to rehab a shoulder niggle, understudy Sam Healey was named in the starting line-up, after two bright performances in his previous two opportunities. In the hours before kickoff, he was also relegated to the interchange, with Freddy Lussick - who has backed up Healey in reserve grade, often forced to play at prop for game-time - promoted in his place. Whether the change was linked to the Martin-Boyd move or the conditions, Healey's ball-running presence was sorely missed. Within a few minutes of checking into the game, he manufactured the Warriors' first and only real try, when he grubbered to the ingoal, chased and won the race to touch down, giving his team a sniff at 24-8 with 25 minutes to play. The score was locked at 2-2, when Bulldogs five-eighth Matt Burton snapped an audacious clearance kick from his own 20 to inside the Warriors 20. 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"We wish we were winning at the moment, but there's a lot to build off and a lot of spirit in that group," Webster said. "We'll keep fighting." Behind them, some of those in pursuit also suffered defeats that should help them stay in the playoff hunt. Brisbane Broncos (sixth), Cronulla Sharks (seventh), the Dolphins (eighth) and Manly Sea Eagles (10th) all went down, with only ninth-placed Sydney Roosters making ground on the Warriors. Still six points behind, Sydney's 50-point win over the Dolphins certainly boosted their points differential in the event of a countback. St George-Illawarra Dragons have been in the doldrums all season and seemed well out of contention for the post-season, but in successive weeks, they have accounted for top-of-the-table Canberra Raiders and Cronulla. They seem on an opposite trajectory to the Warriors, who needed a late Metcalf field goal and some desperate defence to hold the Dragons at bay 15-14 at Wollongong in May. "We've got to get back to playing our best football and the rest will take care of itself," Webster offered. "We're confident we can get it together." They face off at Go Media Stadium on Friday. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
