Richie Mo'unga after the 2022 test match against South Africa at Ellis Park, Johannesburg. Photo / Photosport
New Zealand Rugby powerbrokers have declared a strong desire to bring Richie Mo’unga home early from his lucrative Japanese contract - possibly as early as next year.
Mo’unga is in the midst of his first season in the Japanese League One after departing New Zealand in his prime following the All Blacks’ one-point defeat in the World Cup final last year.
Prior to the World Cup, Mo’unga signed a three-year contract with Toshiba that the Herald understands is worth around $2.2 million per season, to rank him among the highest-paid players in the world.
Scott Robertson’s elevation to the All Blacks head coach position, and concern surrounding New Zealand rugby’s depth in the influential first five-eighths role, have since instigated moves to coax Mo’unga home before his contract with Toshiba ends in mid-2026.
Robertson visited Mo’unga in Japan in March and, in a wide-ranging interview with the Rugby Direct podcast, New Zealand Rugby general manager of professional rugby Chris Lendrum revealed conversations are ongoing to try to entice the 56 test playmaker home early.
“It’s no secret New Zealand Rugby were sorry to see Richie leave at the time he did and we would like him back,” Lendrum told Rugby Direct. “You can imagine we’ve been talking to Richie, and others, while they’re offshore.
“Plan A is to get him back on a fulltime contract as soon as we can. That involves working with his agent.”
Asked specifically about bringing Mo’unga home early, Lendrum said: “That’s a contractual matter and we work through that with his agent and him. I know Richie would love to pull on the black jersey again. We have to see when that can be. Then you work back from there.
“The fundamental is a player is committed, wants to play for the All Blacks, wants to be back in New Zealand, otherwise we’re talking about picking All Blacks from offshore - which is not in the plans.
“We would love Richie home as soon as we can. There are contracts. We respect those. He’s employed by Toshiba currently but we’ll be involved in conversations to see what’s possible.”
The Herald understands Mo’unga does not have an exit clause in his Toshiba contract - as when he signed at the back end of 2022, his desire was to set up his family - but that his interest has been piqued by Robertson and New Zealand Rugby’s continued overtures.
Robertson and Mo’unga share a tight-knit relationship - to the point that Robertson called Mo’unga his quarterback - after claiming seven Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders.
While no decisions have been made, Mo’unga could potentially opt to return home in June next year - following his second season with Toshiba - and be available for the 2025 All Blacks campaign, or see out his contract, which concludes 18 months out from the next World Cup in Australia.
New Zealand Rugby cannot compete with Mo’unga’s salary at Toshiba but would need to table a compelling offer to mitigate the disparity that, should he return home early, could force him to forgo up to $1 million annually.
Mo’unga’s agent, Craig Innes, was reluctant to discuss the 29-year-old’s future other than to say he was fully focused on guiding Toshiba through the League One semifinals after producing a standout season.
Many moving parts remain but Mo’unga is expected to return home for a break after the Japanese season. Further discussions with Robertson may take place then.
In Mo’unga’s absence, Chiefs talisman Damian McKenzie is the frontrunner to secure the No 10 jersey for Robertson’s first All Blacks test against England next month. Beauden Barrett, who will soon return home after his second Japanese sabbatical, injured Blues playmaker Stephen Perofeta and Hurricanes first five Brett Cameron are other contenders for the pivotal role.
On the broader subject of eligibility, despite Robertson raising the issue and leading players such as Ardie Savea applying pressure to change the policy, Lendrum reiterated New Zealand Rugby’s hardline stance on maintaining All Blacks selection from within New Zealand borders.
“I imagine every day that goes by it’s coming closer but it’s still a long, long way in the distance,” Lendrum said of All Blacks selection from offshore.
“The granting of sabbaticals or exemptions from our eligibility criteria are ultimately decided by the New Zealand Rugby board. Razor has come in and said ‘I’d like everybody to keep an open mind’. He hasn’t said too much more than that.
“Quite rightly as the All Blacks head coach he’s engaged in discussions with us as management about how we think it looks, what the risks are around players generally. As an All Blacks coach, like we do, he has conversations with players when they’re offshore.”
As Super Rugby Pacific attempts to slowly detach itself from national unions by setting up a commission, the prospect of test selection from within the competition has been raised. Even that concept, though, appears unlikely unless leading Japanese teams can be included at some stage.
“Having our best players playing consistently in New Zealand has been a critical part of our success,” Lendrum said. “You move away from that only in small steps and very cautiously. You’ve seen a small evolution in our sabbatical rules over the last 10 to 12 years.
“In order to move to a situation where we picked players from across Super Rugby Pacific, which is something that has been talked about and it’s not something we’re fundamentally closed to, the conditions have to be right.
“You have to look around the competition and say everybody involved has quality coaching, is investing in high performance so there’s enough medical care, physio support and they’re all producing an equivalent amount of talent.
“You can’t have a situation where New Zealand subsidises the talent of the competition. You’d want Australians populating New Zealand teams that New Zealanders are interested in watching and raise the standard of New Zealand teams, and vice versa.
“It’s not as simple as turning a key on eligibility. We will be very careful with how we expand and adjust our eligibility rules because the success of our teams in black is bottom line for New Zealand rugby and the country as a whole.”
Liam Napier has been a sports journalist since 2010, and his work has taken him to World Cups in rugby, netball and cricket, boxing world title fights and Commonwealth Games.