Richie Mo’unga could snub the All Blacks and represent a Pacific Island nation at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
After guiding New Zealand to the 2023 World Cup final where the Ian Foster-led All Blacks fell to a defeat at the hands of the Springboks, Mo’unga packed his bags for Japan signing with the Toshiba Brave Lupus.
The playmaker penned a deal that expires in 2026, leaving the door ajar for a timely return just in time for the World Cup.
All Blacks could lose out to Tonga
With All Blacks eligibility policy not allowing for players based overseas and not contracted to New Zealand Rugby to be selected by Robertson, the NZ Rugby and the head coach attempted to lure Mo’unga back home cutting his time in Japan short.
This was a ploy to bolster the team’s fly-half stocks with Damian McKenzie and Beauden Barrett sharing the jersey in 2024 but neither really making the role their own.
However, they were rebuffed by Mo’unga who has opted to remain in Japan which has opened the possibility for him to switch international allegiances before the World Cup instead of playing for the All Blacks.
And Tonga have positioned themselves as an option for the 30-year-old.
“We are reaching out to Richie and his agent,” the Tonga Rugby Union told RugbyJP.com when they inquired about the situation.
In 2021, World Rugby made an amendment to Regulation 8 which now allows players to switch their international allegiance provided that they the player was born, or one parent or grandparent was born in the country they wish to transfer to.
The player would also need to stand down from international rugby for three years and obtain World Rugby’s approval to transfer unions.
Having last played for the All Blacks on 28 October 2023, provided that he does not represent the side again, Mo’unga could switch allegiances to Tonga in time for the 2026 November internationals.
Mo’unga was born in Christchurch, to a Tongan-born father and a Samoan-born mother, meaning that he could also make the switch to Manu Samoa if he wishes to do so.
If he takes up the option to switch allegiance, he would join the growing list of All Blacks to do so following the likes of George Moala, Vaea Fifita, Charles Piutau and Augustine Pulu switching to Tonga while Lima Sopoaga and Steven Luatua switched to Samoa and Seta Tamanivalu to Fiji.
It’s not limited to the All Blacks either with Jean Kleyn representing Ireland at the 2019 World Cup and winning the tournament with South Africa four years later while former Wallabies star Israel Folau switched to Tonga as well.
FOMO
While RugbyJP.com states that Mo’unga is aware of Tonga’s interest and intentions, the fly-half may well be difficult to persuade after admitting to having ‘FOMO’ last year ahead of the All Blacks’ season.
“I am loving my time in Japan. It’s awesome,” he told Stuff.
“But then for the All Blacks who have just been named, you get a bit of FOMO and you start to wonder what it would be like if you were in the team playing against England this weekend.
“I’m far from finished with my footy. I feel like I’m in my prime, so having that thought of not being able to play for the best team in your country is really hard to take, but it’s the decision I made heading over to Japan.
“I knew that these are the things that I would have to sacrifice in order to get those experiences with my family and to be refreshed with my footy.
“So it’s all part of the greater plan.”
Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/all-blacks-richie-mounga-lined-up-for-shock-world-cup-switch-after-snubbing-early-new-zealand-return
