Broken hand no bar as Mo'unga scoops another Japan club title
The 31-year-old playmaker suffered the injury in the semi-final against Kobe Steelers and did not train all week but scored a try and kicked eight points in a Player of the Match performance on Sunday.
"I broke my hand against Kobe," Mo'unga explained after adding a second Japanese title to the seven successive Super Rugby titles he won as a Canterbury Crusader.
"This is the third time I've broken this hand. I knew it wasn't impossible to play. I really wanted to play and be a part of something special.
"There's a lot of relief. I'm so proud of the team and our efforts. To win this competition again is really special."
Brave Lupus coach Todd Blackadder, who handed Mo'unga his Crusaders debut in 2016, said he had been uncertain whether his flyhalf would be able to play.
"Richie's hand wasn't great but it shows how tough he is," said the former All Blacks lock.
"He turned up and played very well. He's so committed and what a player he is."
After the final played out in front of 50,009 fans at Tokyo's National Stadium, Mo'unga paid tribute to Brave Lupus skipper Michael Leitch, who finished the season as the league's top tackler.
"I'm just in awe of what he does for this club, and the man that he is, and what he stands for," he said of the 36-year-old former Japan captain.
"I speak on behalf of a lot of foreigners that come to (the club), he just makes life so much easier for us, he's like a big brother.
"To see him to have the success, and captain and lead this side, I'm proud to be a follower of someone like him."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
19 minutes ago
- Reuters
New Zealand's Sititi out of Rugby Championship opener v Argentina
Aug 12 (Reuters) - New Zealand loose forward Wallace Sititi has been ruled out of the Rugby Championship opener against Argentina while still recovering from ankle surgery, coach Scott Robertson said on Tuesday. Sititi, who was the All Blacks Player of the Year in his debut 2024 season, missed the entire France series with the injury and had hoped to be back for Saturday's match in Cordoba. He faces at least another week on the sidelines, though, opening the door for a potential recall for Peter Lakai or a debut for Simon Parker. Robertson, who names his squad on Thursday, may opt for continuity in the starting back row, though, having deployed enforcer Ardie Savea at number eight and Du'Plessis Kirifi at openside flanker in the third and final test against France after Luke Jacobson was a late withdrawal due to injury. The All Blacks won that match 29-19 in Hamilton to whitewash the French 3-0. New Zealand have lost three out of their last 10 matches to the Pumas, including last year's Rugby Championship clash in Wellington, but have never been beaten in Argentina in 40 years of tests against the South Americans. Robertson said the 38-30 upset in Wellington was on the minds of his players. "They're a team with a lot of experience, a lot of them play in Europe, they're really well coached, and they play with passion," he told reporters of Argentina. 'Anyone can beat anyone on the night, you've got to be at your best - every game. That's the exciting part of this tour."
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
How Red Bull's billions can revolutionise rugby: Energy drink giant conquered F1 and shook up football, so it's no wonder Newcastle are buzzing after takeover
With a reputation for innovation and unparallelled success in their other sporting ventures, Red Bull's takeover of Newcastle Falcons — which was finally completed on Tuesday — has the potential to completely transform an English rugby club with huge potential. 'I'm not suggesting motorcycles will be coming off the roof in the first game,' said director of rugby Steve Diamond, the man in charge of the team now officially known as Newcastle Red Bulls. 'But I think moving forward, it's an entertainment package which is exciting for rugby, not just Newcastle. I think it's going to be a huge positive. There's a buzz around the place. 'This is not going to be a sleeping giant any more. It's been awoken.' These are changing times in professional rugby, particularly with plans for a breakaway league gathering momentum. Now Red Bull — with an overall company value worth in the region of £26billion — has entered the equation. Newcastle will hope the energy drink conglomerate can help turn them from Premiership strugglers into potential trophy winners. But it is unlikely to happen overnight. But history tells us Red Bull don't mess about. When they first entered Formula One in 2005, they were written off as jokers by their competitors. Now, two decades later and with eight drivers' championships and six constructors' championships in the bag, no one is laughing. Red Bull have also shaken up the football industry in Leipzig, New York and Salzburg, among other places. They will hope to have an impact in this season's Premier League too with Leeds United, a team in which they have a minority share. Their entry into rugby union is fascinating. Red Bull's mantra is: 'The can is the star, not the man.' They see being a part of professional sport as a way of selling more of their famous product. That might seem crude or rather simplistic, but it is true. However, it is also about far more than pure marketing. In F1, with the likes of Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, Red Bull became a winning machine. Given Newcastle have won just two Premiership games in two years and been in desperate need of fresh investment, Red Bull's arrival could not have come at a better time. It is no wonder the great and the good of English rugby have welcomed the sea change. Oliver Mintzlaff has a catchy title at Red Bull as their chief executive of corporate projects and investments. He is the big cheese in the company's sporting arm and is understood to have played a key role in the decision to dispense with the services of Christian Horner as the man in charge of their F1 team. 'Together, we aim to elevate rugby to new heights and deliver unforgettable moments for our fans,' Mintzlaff said. 'We're delighted to have acquired Newcastle Red Bulls and look forward to empowering the club to reach its full competitive potential.' Diamond was more reserved than his usual effusive self when facing the media on Tuesday just an hour after the Red Bull deal was officially confirmed. He was keen to keep initial expectations realistic, aware the takeover timing means he cannot go and spend the millions of fresh investment instantly. Newcastle's squad for this season, despite some new arrivals, still looks thin after the departures of Callum Chick and Jamie Blamire. Diamond confirmed Newcastle won't be signing Louis Rees-Zammit, the Wales wing now back in rugby after he left the NFL. 'All players are going to be of interest now. But at this moment in time, we're just looking at the short term of this season,' Diamond said. 'He (Rees-Zammit) won't be joining us for this season.' In the coming weeks, Newcastle will release a new badge and kit to reflect their Red Bull takeover. Interest in ticket sales for the new campaign has skyrocketed. After all, we all know Red Bull — to use their own slogan — 'gives you wings'. Newcastle Red Bulls are unlikely to soar to immediate success. But in the short term, what the takeover does do is provide financial stability after two years of monetary worries. Looking further ahead, the club should now be able to attract higher quality players, thus improving the chances of success. In time, Diamond will surely spend on recruitment. However, he also wisely emphasised the club's need to improve their training facilities and academy set-up as more immediate priorities. Newcastle said they plan on 'delivering a world-class fan experience and embracing the innovative approach Red Bull has brought to its sports initiatives across the world'. Simon Massie-Taylor, Premiership chief executive, described Newcastle's announcement as 'a landmark moment for our sport' while his RFU counterpart Bill Sweeney was equally glowing. Fresh investment is what English rugby has been crying out for and this is it. 'We are hugely excited by Red Bull's ambition for the club which includes developing the player pathway in the North East and growing the club's fanbase,' Massie-Taylor said. 'Their track record in global sport, from high-performance expertise to world-class marketing, will bring enormous value.' Diamond added: 'We'll be looking at world-class facilities, world-class players and world-class coaches coming to Newcastle over the next three or four years to really hopefully dominate in the future. It's just the start of a fantastic new beginning for Newcastle Red Bulls. 'We can see green shoots. Some people have been here four or five years with very little success and very little to shout about. I'm not suggesting we can win the league, certainly not in year one or two. We're not going to spend money if we don't need to.' Red Bull's sporting record means they are unlikely to stand for Newcastle being the Premiership's whipping boys for long. You have to go back to the 1997-98 season for Newcastle's only Premiership title to date — a triumph borne from the backing of Sir John Hall and with a young Jonny Wilkinson in their side. Now, hopes are high Red Bull can have a similar impact and do in rugby what they have done in F1 and football. The next months and years promise much. And in a city where Newcastle United, backed by the billions of Saudi Arabia, have lifted a trophy in football once again, the hope is rugby can now follow suit. 'This future-proofs the professional game in the North East,' Diamond said. 'Red Bull's track record shows they do that in all areas. There will be some bumps in the road, no doubt, but they've been totally professional up to now and I've no doubt they will be. 'I think they see rugby as an exciting new part of their portfolio. 'You can't just rush out and spend money. It never really works. But we're obviously thankful Newcastle has got new investors and the future will be brighter than it has been. 'A successful Newcastle Red Bulls will generate a huge amount of support in this region.'
Reuters
3 hours ago
- Reuters
Football-Women's flag competitors see rapid growth as sport returns to World Games
NEW YORK, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Momentum is building for women's flag football as top competitors face off at the World Games for a second time beginning on Thursday in Chengdu, with the sport's Olympic debut three years away. Mexico captain Diana Flores, who led her country to the inaugural flag football gold at the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama, hopes to retain that title at a pivotal moment for the sport. "It has been amazing to see the growth of flag football in the past, not only three years, but in the past five years, just the amount of opportunities that the sport is opening now for the next generations is insane," Flores, a pioneer in the sport, told reporters. Eight women's teams will face off in the four-day tournament, offering a glimpse of what fans might expect when the sport joins the Olympic programme for the first time at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Mexico's win three years ago in Birmingham reflected the global nature of the sport, a non-tackle version of the gridiron game long associated with the United States' NFL that has developed a formidable pool of international talent. "Many people who didn't know about the sport maybe started to pay attention to this, started to be part of the movement, and started to be interested about it, and that alone helped the sport grow," said Flores. The women's game got the benefit of the Super Bowl spotlight in New Orleans this year, as the NFL ramps up its promotion in an effort to attract the next generation into the sport. "In the years since Birmingham has happened, from then to now, (it) has just spiraled in so many opportunities on and off the field," said Vanita Krouch, a 44-year-old U.S. quarterback who will take the field again after helping the Americans to silver in 2022. "We're all chasing the same dream right now."
