mens
rugby world championship
Richie Mo’unga is back New Zealand after three years abroad with a clear goal in mind: to help All black people win the men’s Rugby World Cup In 2027, Mo’unga was part of the All Blacks that narrowly missed out on the ultimate prize in France, losing by just one point to the Springboks.
“To be so close to winning it was just devastating,” said the All Blacks first five RugbyPass last month, having recently joined Dave Rennie’s team. Mo’unga woke up at 2:00 a.m. to a missed text from the ‘Rens’ in August, inviting the playmaker to camp.
Mo’unga linked up with the team that came South Africa during the greatest rivalry in rugby, in the fight against Lions in Johannesburg and then begins the fourth Test against the Springboks at the M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.
Less than three weeks after the RGR series final, Rugby World Cup celebrated the ‘one year to go’ milestone ahead of Rugby World Cup 2027. The newly expanded format will see 24 teams compete, but only one can make it to the summit on November 13 in Sydney.
Mo’unga won seven Super Rugby titles and twice Japan Rugby league champions, but the World Cup crown has so far remained out of reach. The 32-year-old’s return to New Zealand means he is leaving no stone unturned and no regrets, with all eyes on the Webb Ellis Cup.
“A lot of the comeback, my eyes are on winning the Rugby World Cup. 2023 was devastating,” Mo’unga said.
“It was really hard to take in terms of not long after going to Japan and starting there. You’re always just thinking about what could have been or what could you have done better?”
“That’s definitely the main goal for me. I definitely think the main driver is just not wondering what could have been if I didn’t come back. This environment is great, it pushes you and really encourages you to be the best you can be and I think I missed that.”
“I just don’t know where the ceiling is for me, I just don’t want to regret after rugby, could I have done more? Could I have done better? Coming back gave me the motivation to do that.”
Mo’unga started in the number 10 jersey in the 2023 Rugby World Cup final, but the Springboks held on to defend their crown 12-11. Like every All Blacks player, coach and staff member, Mo’unga walked past the Webb Ellis Cup, wearing a silver medal instead of a gold one.
It was Mo’unga’s last appearance in an All Blacks shirt for three years, linking up with Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo. Mo’unga won seven Super Rugby titles in as many years before going overseas and backed that up with more silverware in Japan.
Mo’unga became eligible for the All Blacks in August 2026 after appearing in a provincial match for Canterbury, who won the NPC. The number 10 has signed an 18-month contract with New Zealand Rugby Crusaders and Canterbury until next year’s Rugby World Cup.
“It was all different stories about me before I even set foot in New Zealand, even when I was in Japan, about what was going to happen and what should happen and people with their opinions,” Mo’unga explained.
“If anyone knows me, I’m team first. Obviously I’m a competitor and I want to play and I want to be in that 10 shirt, but the best thing I want is what’s best for the team.”
“Just having the opportunity to be in the (All Blacks) environment meant a lot to me. I thanked Rens when he called me … it confirmed when I was in South Africa, I was like, ‘shit, this is why I’m coming back.’ That’s why I longed to get back into this environment because you miss it, and then when you come back, you just realize (that) it demands the best of you, it demands you to be world class with everything and that’s what I missed.”
