Mo’unga is just happy to be back
Richie Mo’unga daren’t call himself a leader in this Crusaders setup. He’s just too much of a ratbag to carry that sort of a mantle in an outfit which takes its footy pretty damn seriously.
But the 25-year-old All Blacks linchpin is a difference-maker. Of that there is no doubt. Last week he sat and watched the Crusaders struggle their way to a 25-15 defeat to the Chiefs in Hamilton from the couch of his Christchurch home.
It was a difficult viewing experience indeed as he nursed groin and knee issues.
This week he returned to the saddle and the Crusaders were a different side. They were back to their clinical best on Friday night at Eden Park as they picked apart the Blues, 25-8, three tries to one, with their star playmaker dancing a merry tune in the vanguard.
‘‘Richie is a premier 10 and you can see the difference when he plays,’’ observed Crusaders coach Scott Robertson after their 11th victory on the bounce over their northern rivals. ‘‘I’m really pleased for him to get through with his body and perform so well.’’
Blues coach Leon MacDonald agreed: ‘‘Richie is on top of his game. It’s why he’s been picked as the All Blacks 10. He makes a big difference to that team, and generally if they’re dropping games, it’s when he’s not involved. They welcomed him back and he had an outstanding game and scored an excellent try.’’
Mo’unga talked afterwards about his desperation to be involved in a clash as big as this one which he says was elevated by Carlos Spencer’s audacious try in the corner in 2004, which was also the last time the Blues ever won in Christchurch. The Red and Blacks have been in payback mode pretty much ever since.
‘‘It was a tough watch from home last week. These are the games you want to be part of, the ones you grew up watching,’’ said Mo’unga of the derby contests that are about to be slashed. ‘‘We’re all mates, we all grew up playing against each other. There’s no love lost.
‘‘I still remember the BluesCrusaders back in the day, Carlos Spencer scoring in the corner. That really fuels everyone and to play out here at Eden Park is awesome.’’
Mo’unga very much saw himself as part of the solution for the Crusaders coming off a rare defeat and said it was his job to be ‘‘selfish’’ this week about getting his body right for action.
But he stopped short of acknowledging himself as a leader of this red and black machine.
‘‘Yeah and nah,’’ he responded with a grin. ‘‘I’m probably the most immature in the team – ask the lads, I’m the one at the back of a meeting smirking or joking around.
‘‘My job is to be really clear with what we’re trying to do on a Saturday and think I can do that pretty well. But if I didn’t enjoy what I was doing, I would have stopped playing footy ages ago.’’
Mo’unga led a sharp display by the Crusaders backs, scoring one try and being heavily involved in Jack Goodhue’s. He made 49 metres on eight carries with a pair of clean breaks and his speed off the mark was at times breathtaking.
Goodhue and David Havili put in quality shifts, too, the midfielder with his offloading and decision-making and the fullback with pretty much all he did.
‘‘He’s bloody awesome,’’ said
Mo’unga of Havili’s contribution, which included the goalkicking. ‘‘I think he’s well in contention for an All Blacks jersey. I don’t think he’s doing much different than the last few years, but people are starting to realise how bloody tough he is, how skilful, and how much of an influence he can be.’’
Mo’unga hoped to return to goalkicking duty next week, but did comment on Havili’s 61-metre attempt just before halftime that was not a mile away from going the distance.
‘‘I actually said go for the corner, there’s no point, and he went for it. I knew what was going to happen.’’
He also talked about the shifts in playing with Goodhue outside him, as opposed to the now departed Ryan Crotty.
‘‘It’s same-same but different. They have similar personalities, both dry humour. I’m just happy to be inside a 12 and 13 who love putting their heads in hard places and when you ask them to do something, they do it.’’
And Goodhue’s growing offload arsenal? ‘‘I don’t know where that’s come from. He didn’t have that pre-mullet. I think you’re starting to see a bit of confidence and arrogance. I don’t know if I like it or not.’’
Then the joker turned serious, acknowledging that none of the backline creativity happened without the hard work of those forwards. ‘‘We put their set piece under pressure. When you’re at home you don’t realise the impact they can have but as a 10 you out there you’re just licking your lips. And that doesn’t just happen, it’s preparation and it’s Razor (Robertson) and Jase Ryan putting in a plan to get that result.’’