Former Crusaders scrum-half Bryn Hall has given his view on Richie Mo’unga’s impending return to New Zealand after playing in Japan since the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.
Mo’unga has penned an 18-month deal with New Zealand Rugby, the Crusaders and Canterbury from July 2026 to December 2027 which puts him in the selection frame for the All Blacks for their 2027 Rugby World Cup campaign in Australia.
The 31-year-old made his All Blacks debut in 2017 and has already represented his country in 56 Tests. He will play for the Crusaders during their 2027 Super Rugby Pacific campaign and for Canterbury in the 2026 and 2027 NPC seasons.
Mo’unga‘s former Crusaders boss Scott Robertson has been trying to sign the talented playmaker since he took charge of the All Blacks.
Will be available for All Blacks selection in 2026
The short-term nature of Mo’unga’s new contract is not the ideal situation for Robertson as it means that the playmaker has not been allowed an exemption and will therefore not be available for All Blacks selection until October 2026.
Hall knows Mo’unga well as he was the All Blacks playmaker’s half-back partner from 2017 to 2022 when the Crusaders won six successive Super Rugby titles.
Appearing on the DSPN podcast with Martin Devlin, Hall, who currently plays for Japan Rugby League One outfit Kubota Spears, was asked if Mo’unga’s upcoming return was excellent news and he replied: “Yeah, it is. It’s probably been talked about since Razor (Robertson) got the job in terms of trying to get Richie Mo’unga back.
“There’s a lot of chat in terms of could they get him out of the contract or not.
“But he obviously has requirements with Toshiba (his Japanese club). But look, anytime he can get a player of his calibre, I can tell you myself personally, the way that he’s been playing the last two and a half years over in Japan, coming back to the international stage won’t be a big problem for him. So like I said, he’s got an affiliation with Razor.
“A lot of their coaching group probably has unfinished business in terms of their All Black jersey with the World Cup in the near distance in 2027. So it’s a great day for New Zealand rugby and it’s been able to bring, I guess, a guy of his experience to that number 10 position.”
With Hall also plying his trade in Japan, he is regularly in touch with Mo’unga and feels he still wants to attain some goals with the All Blacks.
“Look, I’ve been chatting to him few times when we’re playing in Japan after a few beers or for dinner, I think being able to get away from New Zealand and being able to get away from the pressures of not only the All Blacks but the Crusaders, Canterbury and being in Christchurch and I guess with all that it involves playing in New Zealand rugby.
“So he went over to Japan, he’s won a couple of titles over there, has had some different, I guess, experiences of being able to try and lead a team from not being so successful like the Crusaders or the All Blacks and being able to bring a team to win a championship.
“So the growth that he’s had in terms of being able to drive a programme, being able to, I guess, be more of a coaching role, being able to bring people with him. He was already doing that at the Crusaders in New Zealand but at a different level and getting that kind of fulfillment, I think is great.
‘He’s probably still got unfinished business’
“But I think knowing him and the competitor that he is, he’s probably still got unfinished business and I think that 18-month contract that he has signed, he’s coming back for that World Cup and wanting to finish on a high note before maybe heading back to Japan again.”
Devlin revealed that Mo’unga’s coach at Toshiba, Todd Blackadder, revealed a few weeks ago that Mo’unga was playing better in Japan than when he left New Zealand after the 2023 World Cup.
Hall agreed and said it’s down to Mo’unga’s “unbelievable mindset”.
“He’s got an unbelievable mindset, you know, it doesn’t matter where he is in the country. He had ambitions to be able to change that programme at Toshiba and Todd Blackadder obviously signed him and look, he’s won two championships at that club and the biggest thing with Richie is he’s a competitor and he wants to be on the world stage,” he explained.
“I think it’s probably in a position where you’re an All Black and it’s not until you don’t have it anymore you probably miss it. Look, obviously, there’s a financial need and he’s been able to set up his family which is obviously a big part of why players do go to Japan.
“But I think the only thing that he hasn’t won is a World Cup so you’d have to think that that would be a massive motivating factor for him to come back and try and at least win a World Cup.
“And, again, obviously, (he) gets to don that red and black (Crusaders) jersey in 2027 as well which is pretty cool for him.”
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