Latest news with #Mo'unga
1News
3 days ago
- Sport
- 1News
Robertson's wish granted with Mo'unga's return in (red and) black
After "bureaucratic bumbling and hidebound nonsense about eligibility", Scotty Stevenson says the right call has been made. Seven super rugby titles, four national championships, 56 test appearances and, apparently, a bit of unfinished business. Richie Mo'unga has signed on the dotted line to return to New Zealand at the conclusion of the next League One season in Japan, linking up with Canterbury and the Crusaders and securing pole position to guide the All Blacks around the park in the next Rugby World Cup. His management team has played an absolute blinder. Forget all the bureaucratic bumbling and hidebound nonsense about eligibility. Mo'unga will be back in the All Blacks before October next year, despite that date standing as New Zealand Rugby's current assessment of the eligibility equation. If you want a guy that badly you'll sign him up on an 18-month contract, why waste three of those months? They're your rules; change them. It's a win for Mo'unga, who has seen his already high stock price soar in Japan following an MVP-and title-winning season with Toshiba in League One. This is high performance contracting at its best, a deal that allows him to return home, execute a short-term assignment with his old gaffer, and get out of dodge while the going's still good. ADVERTISEMENT It pays to be wanted in this world, and with Robertson making no secret of his desire to have Mo'unga's services at his disposal, Mo'unga and his team have been able to time this to perfection. Richie Mo'unga applauds the crowd during his time with Japanese club Toshiba. (Source: Getty) That's not to say this is a zero-sum game. The All Blacks will benefit massively from having Mo'unga back in the fold. Depth at ten is crucial in the quest for a world cup win (2011, anyone?) and, while Beauden Barrett and Damien McKenzie have utility value and undeniable skill sets and Reuben Love has upside in abundance, Mo'unga is a dedicated first five eighth who - more than any other player in the current squad - can operate as the ultimate Razor Whisperer. New Zealand Rugby was at great pains to play down the All Blacks link in its official press release announcing Mo'unga's new deal. Apart from the arbitrary aside regarding the October 2026 'official' eligibility for national selection, and a sprinkling of statistics alluding to his test match record, the All Blacks aren't given a mention. The national body figured it best to use the Crusaders as the smoke and Canterbury as the mirror, which is genuinely wholesome stuff. But let's not kid ourselves: He ain't coming back for the bright lights of the NPC. The morning's headlines in 90 seconds, including a cold weekend on the way, Israel reveals a new plan in Gaza, and what not do when driving over a rail crossing. (Source: 1News) It's ironic that the one man who most wanted him to come home, Scott Robertson, was not quoted at all in yesterday's announcement. That's understandable in part because he has a duty of care to his current All Blacks team and has doubtlessly learned that it's tough to build trust with your new mates when all you do is talk about your old ones. ADVERTISEMENT Still, it might have been better to get the plaudits and platitudes out of the way now, rather than face a test week in Argentina fielding the inevitable incoming questions. There will be intrigue now in the response to this news from those with designs on the All Blacks famous number ten jersey. Neither Barrett nor McKenzie will be under any illusions that Mo'unga's return has upped the stakes for the rest of this season and beyond. If their response is another lift in performance, the All Blacks will be the biggest winners of all, well before they let their star signing anywhere near the jersey he had once made his own.
The 42
4 days ago
- Sport
- The 42
Mo'unga to return to New Zealand in time for World Cup build-up
OUT-HALF RICHIE Mo'unga will return to New Zealand next year, putting him in the frame to steer the All Blacks at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia. Mo'unga, who has played in 56 Tests for the All Blacks, left in 2023 to join Japan club Toshiba Brave Lupus. New Zealand Rugby said the 31-year-old Mo'unga had signed an 18-month contract with Super Rugby's Canterbury Crusaders from July 2026 to the end of 2027. Advertisement 'We're really pleased to have Richie re-committing to New Zealand Rugby, the Crusaders and Canterbury Rugby,' said New Zealand Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson. '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.' Mo'unga, who will be eligible to rejoin the national side in October 2026, won seven Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders. All Blacks coach Scott Robertson has repeatedly urged New Zealand Rugby bosses to make overseas-based players eligible for the national side. Rugby Australia this week signalled that Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt would have a free hand to select players based overseas, starting with the Rugby Championship this month – © AFP 2025
Daily Maverick
4 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Maverick
Argentina-bound All Blacks rookie forced to scramble after dog eats passport
Dogs have been accused of chewing homework for generations by schoolchildren, but seldom has the same excuse nearly cost a player a Test place. Leroy Carter's dream call-up to New Zealand's Rugby Championship squad nearly turned sour when he discovered his passport had been chewed by his dog just days before leaving for Argentina. Utility back Carter, named among the injury replacements in Scott Robertson's All Blacks squad, found his passport ruined on his bed and had to scramble to arrange a new one. 'I got my passport out to take a photo to send to the (team) manager and I just left it on my bedside table,' the 26-year-old told New Zealand media. 'My partner went to the gym and left my dog home alone, and it's gone down the hallway, jumped on the bed and just chewed up the passport and my teeth aligners. 'It was a bit of a shambles yesterday. I was trying to get an emergency one, but I think it's all sussed (sorted) now. 'I thought it would happen to me, something like that, so no point getting stressed about it, just trying to sort it out.' Most of the All Blacks squad will fly out on Friday, 8 August 2025, for Argentina where they play their Rugby Championship opener against the Pumas in Cordoba next week. Carter, who represented New Zealand in rugby sevens at the Paris Olympics and won a bronze with the squad at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, earned his first All Blacks call-up after his debut season with the Waikato Chiefs in Super Rugby. Carter said he was out for breakfast with his partner and some of his teammates from provincial side Bay of Plenty when Robertson called to confirm his selection on Monday. 'I got an unknown-number call. I guess I thought if there was a day to answer those it was probably (that day), and he just said congratulations,' said Carter. 'I honestly can't really remember what else he said after that. I was pretty emotional and pretty stoked to get a phone call like that. 'All the boys were pretty pumped, but I was still in a bit of a shock.' Mo'unga returns Flyhalf Richie Mo'unga will return to New Zealand rugby next season and be eligible to play for the All Blacks from October 2026, as part of an 18-month contract announced on Thursday. The deal will see the Japan-based playmaker rejoin Canterbury for the 2026 National Provincial Championship and the Crusaders from the 2027 Super Rugby season. 'We're really pleased to have Richie recommitting to New Zealand Rugby,' Chief Executive Mark Robinson said in a statement. 'He's a proven talent with a strong track record of performing on the biggest stages.' Mo'unga, capped 56 times for the All Blacks and a winner of seven championship trophies at the Crusaders, has been ineligible to play for New Zealand since leaving for Japan after the 2023 World Cup in France. New Zealand Rugby restricts Test selection to home-based players to try to protect its domestic competitions from talent drain. All Blacks coach Robertson has been vocal about wanting Mo'unga home and pushing for selection. Mo'unga helped Brave Lupus Tokyo seal back-to-back Japan Rugby League One titles in June while playing with a fractured hand. 'He has this gift of bringing out the best in those around him, and we can't wait to have him back in 2027,' said Crusaders CEO Colin Mansbridge. Mo'unga's return to New Zealand a year before the 2027 World Cup in Australia will be welcomed by home fans and give Robertson another option for the coveted number 10 jersey. In Mo'unga's absence, Beauden Barrett has been Robertson's starting flyhalf in most recent Tests, with Damien McKenzie the back-up playmaker. Reuters/DM
Perth Now
4 days ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
Major boost for All Blacks with big name to return
Richie Mo'unga will return to New Zealand rugby next season and be eligible to play for the All Blacks from October, 2026, as part of an 18-month contract. The deal will see the Japan-based playmaker rejoin Canterbury for the 2026 National Provincial Championship and the Crusaders from the 2027 Super Rugby season. "We're really pleased to have Richie re-committing to New Zealand Rugby," chief executive Mark Robinson said in a statement. "He's a proven talent with a strong track record of performing on the biggest stages." Mo'unga, capped 56 times for the All Blacks and a winner of seven championship trophies at the Crusaders, has been ineligible to play for New Zealand since leaving for Japan after the 2023 World Cup in France. New Zealand Rugby restricts Test selection to home-based players to try to protect its domestic competitions from talent drain. His former coach at the Crusaders, Scott Robertson, is now the All Blacks coach and has been vocal about wanting Mo'unga home and pushing for selection. Mo'unga helped Brave Lupus Tokyo seal back-to-back Japan Rugby League One titles in June while playing with a fractured hand. "He has this gift of bringing out the best in those around him and we can't wait to have him back in 2027," Crusaders CEO Colin Mansbridge said. Mo'unga's return to New Zealand a year before the 2027 World Cup in Australia will be welcomed by home fans and give Robertson another option for the coveted No.10 jersey. In Mo'unga's absence, Beauden Barrett has been Robertson's preferred option in most recent Tests, with Damien McKenzie the back-up playmaker. Meanwhile, Leroy Carter's dream call-up to the All Blacks squad nearly turned sour when he discovered his passport had been chewed up by his dog days before leaving for Argentina. Utility back Carter, named among the injury replacements in Robertson's squad, found his passport ruined on his bed and had to scramble to arrange a new one. "I got my passport out to take a photo to send to the (team) manager and I just left it on my bedside table," the 26-year-old told New Zealand media. "My partner went to the gym and left my dog home alone and it's gone down the hallway, jumped on the bed and just chewed up the passport and my teeth aligners. "It was a bit of a shambles yesterday. I was trying to get an emergency one but I think it's all sussed (sorted) now. "I thought it would happen to me, something like that, so no point getting stressed about it, just trying to sort it out." Most of the All Blacks squad will fly out on Friday for Argentina where they play their Rugby Championship opener against the Pumas in Cordoba next week. Carter, who represented New Zealand in rugby sevens at the Paris Olympics and won a bronze at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, earned his first All Blacks call-up after his debut season with the Waikato Chiefs in Super Rugby. He said he was out for breakfast with his partner and some of his teammates from provincial side Bay of Plenty when Robertson called to confirm his selection. "I got an unknown-number call. I guess I thought if there was a day to answer those it was probably (that day) and he just said congratulations," said Carter. "I honestly can't really remember what else he said after that. I was pretty emotional and pretty stoked to get a phone call like that. "All the boys were pretty pumped but I was still in a bit of a shock."
1News
4 days ago
- Sport
- 1News
Star playmaker Richie Mo'unga confirms when he'll make his NZ return
Richie Mo'unga, New Zealand Rugby's most wanted man, has announced he will return from Japan to play for Canterbury next year and the Crusaders in 2027. 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. ADVERTISEMENT '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. ADVERTISEMENT 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. ADVERTISEMENT 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.'
