Richie Mo’unga could be on the verge of making his long-awaited return to the All Blacks, with head coach Dave Rennie revealing the fly-half could feature against Lions in Johannesburg.
Mo’unga was called into the All Blacks squad as an injury replacement after Rennie decided the team needed additional South Africa cover at fly-half.
The 32-year-old has not played for New Zealand since the 2023 Rugby World Cup final, but his return could give him an opportunity to push his way back into the Test team.
Rennie said he spoke with the All Blacks’ existing playmakers before making the decision to bring Mo’unga into the squad.
Ruben Love, Damian McKenzie, Beauden Barrett and Josh Jacomb were all supportive of the move, according to the head coach.
“My job is to pick the best players available,” Rennie said after naming his side for Sunday’s clash with the Bulls in Pretoria.
Richie Mo’unga Could Face Lions
Mo’unga received the call from Rennie on Thursday morning before flying out of Christchurch that evening.
He arrived in South Africa on Friday and immediately joined the All Blacks environment.
While Mo’unga himself admitted there was no guarantee he would play during the tour, Rennie has now indicated that a match against the Lions could be his first opportunity.
The All Blacks play South Africa in their first Test on August 23 before facing Lions in Johannesburg three days later.
Rennie does not expect Mo’unga to play in the opening Test against the Springboks, but believes the Lions match could provide an important opportunity.
“The thinking is that it wouldn’t be in the first test, but he might get game time against the Lions to start pushing a claim then,” Rennie said.
That would give Mo’unga a chance to prove he is ready for international rugby again after a lengthy absence.
Rennie also believes simply spending time around the All Blacks will accelerate Mo’unga’s return to Test rugby.
“I’m not sure when he will play Test footy for us, but coming in now and spending time in the environment will accelerate that opportunity,” he said.
For now, however, Ruben Love remains the preferred option at fly-half.
“At the moment, it’s been Ruben’s jersey and he’s going well, so we’re happy with that,” Rennie added.
Why Was Richie Mo’unga Left Out of the Original Squad?
Mo’unga’s return to New Zealand created a complicated selection situation.
The former Crusaders star spent three years playing in Japan before returning home, but his contract did not initially satisfy New Zealand Rugby’s eligibility requirements.
Rennie had wanted Mo’unga available for the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Tour, but New Zealand Rugby did not allow him to be included in the original 44-man squad.
The key issue was the length of Mo’unga’s contract.
He signed an 18-month deal with Canterbury rather than the two-year agreement required under the existing eligibility policy.
Rennie admitted it would have made selection easier if Mo’unga had been available from the beginning.
“But what they wanted was Richie to sign a two-year deal. I guess he committed to 18 months, if he’d signed for two years he would have been eligible from the start,” Rennie explained.
Mo’unga would otherwise have had to wait until October to become eligible, although an injury replacement route opened the door for his earlier return after he played a provincial match for Canterbury.
Dave Rennie All Blacks Coach Considering Future Eligibility Changes
Mo’unga’s situation has also raised broader questions about New Zealand Rugby’s policy on overseas-based players.
The fly-half has previously indicated that discussions about potentially extending his stay in New Zealand beyond the 2027 Rugby World Cup are already underway.
Rennie confirmed that discussions have also taken place around the possibility of changing the eligibility rules in the future.
The All Blacks coach said he and New Zealand Rugby high-performance director Don Tricker had discussed what the policy could look like over the longer term.
However, any major change would require further work and approval from the New Zealand Rugby board.
That means Mo’unga’s return could potentially become part of a much bigger conversation about how New Zealand selects players who have spent time overseas.
Why the All Blacks Needed Mo’unga
The decision to replace midfielder Billy Proctor with a fly-half initially surprised some supporters.
Rennie, however, believes the All Blacks have enough options in the midfield.
Rieko Ioane is capable of covering the No.13 position, while Emoni Narawa also provides additional versatility.
The bigger concern was depth at fly-half.
Rennie explained that much of the squad’s No.15 cover comes from players who can also operate at No.10, making Mo’unga’s inclusion particularly valuable.
Damian McKenzie is another key part of that equation.
McKenzie picked up an ankle injury during the All Blacks’ victory over the Sharks, but Rennie expects him to be available for the first Test against South Africa.
Ardie Savea Joins the All Blacks Squad
All Blacks captain Ardie Savea has also joined the squad in Pretoria after being given an extended break following the July Tests.
His return provides another major boost ahead of the opening Test against the Springboks.
But Mo’unga’s arrival could prove to be one of the biggest talking points of the tour.
The former All Blacks playmaker now has an opportunity to rebuild his case for international selection.
If Rennie gives him minutes against the Lions in Johannesburg, Mo’unga could use the match to show that he still belongs among New Zealand’s leading fly-halves.
For now, Ruben Love remains in possession of the No.10 jersey.
But with Richie Mo’unga back inside the All Blacks environment, the battle for the position has suddenly become much more interesting.
Full Conferance
