Why Richie Mo’unga

So here’s a question for you, Steve Hansen. If the skies tear apart above Auckland on June 7 (two days before the first test) and the rain pierces the flesh like the arrows of Norman archers, then who are you going to pick at number 10 against the French? Beauden Barrett or Richie Mo’unga? The athletic wonderboy or the real first-five?

I’m guessing we all know the answer, despite the fair chance that it will be wet on the night. You will pick Barrett, even though by now you probably know it would be the wrong choice. You will pick Barrett because he is the puppet leader, because he is an outrageous talent, because it is harder to get out of the All Blacks than Alcatraz, because you never admit you are wrong.

All the evidence says otherwise. It wasn’t just that Mo’unga comprehensively outplayed Barrett in the Crusaders’ victory over the Hurricanes, it was the way he went out about it. And before we get onto all of that, let’s get one canard out of the way.

Contrary to received wisdom the Crusaders’ forwards did not annihilate the Hurricanes forwards. How the Canes pack must have hated to hear and read that repeated nonsense. I scored each 10-minute section of the match according to possession, turnover, forward momentum and defence and it was remarkably even.

No, Mo’unga outplayed Barrett because he made a number of the fundamentally correct tactical choices. The first and most important was where Mo’unga stood. Such a filthy night made passing very difficult, although the coating on the modern rugby ball makes it much easier than in the past.

The pass is perhaps not the strength of either Bryn Hall or TJ Perenara. But Mo’unga stood relatively short most of the time. He provided Hall with an easy target and so Hall was able to hit his 10 with regularity. Barrett stood on the horizon, as if it were a sunny summer’s day on Scorching Bay.

It was crazy. When Perenara’s pass is good, it can open up the field. But he is not Aaron Smith or Will Genia. Perenara’s talents are more nuggety. And so there were too many costly passes that went astray.

Another oddity about Barrett’s direction of play, or lack of it, were the number of people who went in at first receiver. On filthy nights like these, I like my No 9 and 10 to take charge. You need strong leadership. You need players who will drive the team around the pitch.

Yet the Canes carried on like a bunch of grans on a night out at the bingo. Everyone put their hand up. Perenara, who has not played much football in recent