Richie Mo’unga is “really interested in playing” for the AUNZ Invitational XV against the British and Irish Lions on July 12. Former All Blacks coach Ian Foster has invited Mo’unga to play for the representative side, who will take on the Lions at Adelaide Oval.
Mo’unga has continued to star since leaving the Crusaders and New Zealand Rugby at the end of 2023, with the first five-eighth leading Toshiba Brave Lupus to a title last season. All Blacks coach Scott Robertson wanted to bring the playmaker back to New Zealand for a reason.
‘Razor’ Robertson wasn’t able to lure Mo’unga back to New Zealand’s shores, so a return to the All Blacks in 2025 isn’t on the cards, but representative honours are shaping up as a likely reward during the Lions Tour of Australia.
New Zealand and Australia will put their rivalry aside by joining forces on the rugby field for the first time since the 1980s. Fans have speculated on the potential makeup of this team, with the likes of Joey Manu and Michael Hooper also tipped to suit up against the Lions.
Rugby Australia announced in March that Foster will join the AUNZ coaching staff, although the rest of the management group is yet to be announced. Mo’unga revealed after last weekend’s heavy loss to Shizuoka that Foster has asked him about playing for the team.
“Yes, Foz has spoken to me about the game,” Mo’unga told RugbyJP.com
“I’m really interested in playing, it’s with my agents now.
“I’ll have to ask Toshiba for permission to play next.
“I miss the big Test match setting, the big arenas. This will be the closest I’ll get to it while I’m in Japan.”
2015 Rugby World Cup winner Aaron Smith recently expressed a desire to play for the AUNZ XV while also revealing to RugbyPass that at least “three or four other All Blacks” based in Japan want to take part in the historic fixture as well.
Smith plays alongside Manua and Hooper at Japan Rugby League One side Toyota Verblitz, who is co-coached by Foster and Sir Steve Hansen. When asked about potentially playing for the team, Smith didn’t hesitate in reply.
“There’s been more chats around it. I’ve only recently found out [Foster’s] doing it. He’s talked to me about it,” Smith told RugbyPass.
“Probably the funniest thing was getting a text from around three or four other All Blacks going, ‘What’s going on? Can we play or how do you?’
“I think it’s still very much up in the air around who and what.
“There’s been murmurs, I’ve talked to a few boys, I’m not going to name names but they have said, ‘Hey, what’s the go? Are you going to play, or if you got asked would you play?’
“It’s just one of those things. When you get to this part of your career, those opportunities are hard to say no to and very rare.
“To think about the history of the ANZACs and what it means to our country. I was very blessed, my father got me veery upskilled around ANZAC Day and what our men did for our country in the wars and showing remembrance.
“I just think that would be a really cool thing to be a part of if I was asked and if that opportunity comes. I’d take it very seriously if I was asked and give it my best.
“For me, it’d be a very special game to be a part of.”
