Analysis: Richie Mo'unga's first game back in New Zealand was triumphant, as many expected, but what now of his All Blacks ambitions, asks Patrick McKendry.
There were just over 51 minutes on the clock when the prodigal son returned.
Canterbury’s clash against old rivals Auckland last night had been entertaining enough to that point – ambition, optimism, tries, some snippy moments between players in keeping with the 50-year tradition of the NPC – but most of the big crowd of about 20,000 in Christchurch had come to see one man.
So, out came Richie Mo’unga, the 56-Test All Black, with the score 26-21 in Canterbury’s favour. His three years in Japan haven’t changed him much physically, but appearances only tell part of the story.
TVNZ is broadcasting all NPC matches live and free on TVNZ+, with three games broadcast on TVNZ 1 – a flagship Saturday primetime match at 7pm, alongside Saturdays and Sundays at 2pm.
What about his state of mind? His vision? Hunger?
His first act was to drop a high kick on the halfway mark. It was a tricky one – even under the roof. Mo’unga was never really in position to comfortably take it - the ball going away from him – and down it went.
It’s fair to say he grew into the game. A kick into space here, a reasonable pass there, but, after missing a relatively simple conversion by his standards – a kick that would have put Canterbury ahead after lock Jamie Hannah’s try levelled the score 31-31 – here was the moment that made the headlines.
With time running out, a penalty – for a blatant act of foul play on Andrew Knewstubb, the man in the red and black No.10 jersey – was kicked to the corner by Mo’unga, a lineout won, a maul formed and on the march.
It stopped just shy of Auckland’s tryline and there was Mo’unga in the No.22 jersey (not a number he’s used to wearing) at the back of the ruck surveying his options.
Let’s pause here for a moment and remind ourselves that Mo’unga, now aged 32, learned a great deal of his craft playing touch rugby on the fields of Christchurch, a sport in which he represented New Zealand as a teenager.
Mo’unga’s ability to beat players by creating space for himself and others with a subtle shift and move to the outside was developed on those fields and is still one of his greatest weapons.
He still loves the sport – he told me after an interview from Japan in November last year that playing touch with his mates in summer was one of the things he missed about New Zealand.
And so here he was with the game in the balance and the ball in his hands against Auckland with some big visiting tight forwards in front of him as though the script had been written specifically for him.
We know what happened – he picked the ball up, skipped right with that trademark shift and went over virtually untouched with big men such as former All Blacks teammate and Auckland prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi grasping thin air.
One would think Mo’unga’s ability to bamboozle big defenders would be helpful for the All Blacks in South Africa – there are few better in world rugby at it - but no one is denying the man’s ability, just his eligibility.
Who knows what sort of deal New Zealand Rugby has cooked up with him and head coach Dave Rennie to get Mo’unga on the plane at some point for a crucial tour about 12 months out from a World Cup but presumably something has been worked out.
He has fulfilled his obligations on his return – he has played in the NPC for Canterbury. NZ Rugby has been extremely pragmatic in the past about these sorts of issues, so will now presumably display some common sense in line with Rennie’s recommendations.
The man himself wasn’t give much away afterwards, telling The Press: “It was a bit of a shaky start with the dropped ball but I’m just so proud to be back playing in the new stadium playing now in front of my family and friends. I’m just happy to get that one under my belt.”
How long will you be playing in the new stadium, though, with an All Blacks return beckoning, Mo'unga was asked.
“I’m not too sure – you know just as much as me. I will ‘be where my feet are’ and whatever happens, happens.”
A man who clearly still possesses those old skills, but more importantly vision, hunger and the ability to manipulate defences to do his bidding, surely knows more than that.
A little like those big Auckland tight forwards last night, we’ll probably just have to wait and see and hope for the best.
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