Richie Mo’unga is preparing to travel to South Africa to join the All Blacks.
1News understands Mo’unga will leave for Johannesburg today to join a squad that has already lost midfielder Billy Proctor to injury and with potential concerns over first-five/fullback Damian McKenzie’s left ankle.
McKenzie was injured in the first minutes of the All Blacks’ 54-0 victory over the Sharks in Durban yesterday.
He looked in discomfort after landing awkwardly when catching a contested high ball, had his ankle heavily strapped, scored a try (and had another ruled out) and left the field after 35 minutes.
Head coach Dave Rennie appeared relaxed about McKenzie’s fitness but the latest issue, combined with Proctor's fractured shoulder suffered against the Stormers, has presented him with the perfect opportunity to bring in 56-Test All Black Mo’unga.
New Zealand Rugby confirmed late this morning that Mo'unga had been called up by the All Blacks as an injury replacement.
In a post on the All Blacks' Instagram account, head coach Dave Rennie said: "Richie is the obvious choice as a replacement. His job now is to get in and learn our systems, get his head around the detail and earn the right to play."
In a statement sent this afternoon, Rennie added: "We really feel for Billy. He has had a great season so this is frustrating for him. It is the harsh reality of our game. We wish him all the best with his recovery and hope to see him fit and well in time for the end of year tour selection."
Mo'unga's ineligibility for the tour, a crucial part of the All Blacks' preparations for next year's World Cup, has puzzled rugby fans here and abroad for months, with Gary Gold, a former Springboks assistant coach, writing in Stuff recently that not picking Mo'unga as Proctor's replacement would be an "own goal" due to the team's relative inexperience.
The 32-year-old Mo'unga, who won two championships during his three years with Japanese club Toshiba, ended his stint with the All Blacks after the 2023 World Cup defeat to South Africa in Paris.
At the time he was the All Blacks’ first-choice No.10 over McKenzie and Beauden Barrett but now he will have a challenge on his hands deposing Ruben Love, who again looked assured in the pivotal position at Kings Park yesterday and who played well there in starting all three Tests last month.
Josh Jacomb, 25, who performed well off the bench on debut against the Stormers, is the other man in the frame but is clearly too inexperienced to be expected to start the first Test against the world champions at Ellis Park a week on Sunday.
Rennie has always maintained he would have selected Mo’unga in the initial 44-man squad for the tour and used the three tour matches before the first Test as opportunities for those in the mix to press their case.
With Barrett having a mixed performance in Cape Town after being used mainly as a fullback by the Blues this year, it appears the contest for the No.10 jersey in the big games is between Love and Mo’unga, who has helped Canterbury to two victories in the NPC over the past fortnight, the latter a successful Ranfurly Shield challenge.
His imminent departure and unavailability for Canterbury will also be good news for supporters of Bay of Plenty, who challenge for the Shield on Saturday.
Having signed with NZ Rugby until the end of next year after three years away, Mo’unga knew he probably would not be eligible for the initial squad to tour South Africa but always had a feeling he would end up there.
Skipper Ardie Savea left for Johannesburg on Monday after his fortnight off and will lead the team at Ellis Park.
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