The No 10 rivalry continues

Ian Foster will hope the only wounds to feature on the All Blacks’ squad sheet on Sunday morning are sore egos and crushed dreams.

Especially when it comes to star first five-eighths Richie Mo’unga and Beauden Barrett.

When the pair exit the cauldron of the Super Rugby Pacific final at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday night, Foster will pray selection headaches are his chief concern ahead of the three-test series against Ireland next month.

While he will welcome the chance to observe how the two All Blacks respond to the pressure of attempting to win a title, the unwanted prospect of them getting hurt could force Foster into starting the uncapped Stephen Perofeta at first-five.

One thing is certain. The commentary about the Mo’ungabarrett duel won’t disappear in coming days.

For Mo’unga, who along with Barrett was named in the All Blacks squad on Monday, this isn’t about fighting for the No 10 jersey ahead of the first test in Auckland on July 2.

‘‘No. I see both teams wanting to win and hold up a championship [title] at the end,’’ Mo’unga said. ‘‘That’s what I see. He’s [Barrett] doing it in the blue colours, and I am in the red.

‘‘We are both representing our franchises to do whatever we can to win the game, and whatever happens after that it is up to the big man, Foz, I guess.’’

After a delayed entry to the Blues campaign, a legacy of the concussion he received against Ireland in Dublin in November,

Barrett has been in regal form for a side that has won 15 games straight.

It has been no coincidence the Blues’ run to the final has coincided with Barrett’s surge in confidence; while he has surrendered the goalkicking duties to Perofeta, who starts at No 15 for the Blues, Barrett’s playmaking skills and running game have been deadly.

Mo’unga has been a slow burner by comparison, but has been in excellent touch off the tee, or with ball in hand, in recent weeks. ‘‘I just become clearer in what I need to do in these big games.’’ he said. ‘‘But I would say I am still me, I am still playing freely. I think that’s important. I’m not a different person but I see clearer pictures and sharpen up images in my head of what I want to do and what I want to achieve.

‘‘It just happens I have been a few of these matches and it has given me confidence to keep doing it, and know that I have been there and done that before.’’

Crusaders coach Scott Robertson slathered praise on Mo’unga after the 20-7 win over the Chiefs in the semifinal, saying he’s perfected the art of peaking at the sharp end of the tournament.

Robertson and Mo’unga have won five Super titles together since 2017, but only the first, against the Lions in Johannesburg, was away from home.

‘‘He [Mo’unga] is a winner,’’ Robertson said after the win over the Chiefs. ‘‘He finds ways to win . . . he is special.’’

The Blues, who have not won a title since beating the Crusaders at Eden Park in 2003, will rely on their forwards to match the visiting pack’s ferocity and for Barrett to lead them around the park.

Robertson will expect the same from Mo’unga.

Having described Barrett as one of the best No 10s in the world, Mo’unga acknowledged that whenever they clash it also brings out the best in him.

‘‘Yeah, it does,’’ Mo’unga said. ‘‘But this is finals footy. I don’t need any motivation to play well. It’s been like that for the last couple of years.’’