Crusaders coaches behind Mounga’s revival
A few harsh words from now former Crusaders assistant coach Ronan O’Gara was just what Richie Mo’unga needed to remedy his goal-kicking.
That, and an odd kicking drill which made Mo’unga ‘‘look like a bit of a dick’’, has resulted in a notable turnaround from the All Black pivot, who landed all eight of his shots at goal in the All Blacks’ 63-0 rout of Canada in Oita on Wednesday night (NZT).
O’Gara and another former Crusaders assistant, Brad Mooar, who suggested the odd kicking drill, are sure to have taken extra satisfaction from his latest World Cup performance. After all, they stepped in after the 25-year-old’s stinker of a start to Super Rugby earlier this year, when he shanked eight of his first 12 shots at goal.
Knowing the importance of goal kicking with a World Cup looming, those numbers sparked anxiety among some All Blacks fans, who already had butterflies over Beauden Barrett’s 2018 test campaign, when he kicked at just 69 per cent (37 from 53).
‘‘He’s been honest with me, he’s had a few hard words with me at the start of the year around my goal kicking, and a few other things around my game play, which has put me in good stead,’’ Mo’unga said of O’Gara.
They’re Mo’unga’s words after he landed all five of his shots at goal against the Jaguares in the Super Rugby final, ensuring he slotted all 17 shots at goal in the red and blacks’ three playoff wins, and 24 of his last 25 attempts during the campaign.
Mo’unga has continued his hot form off the tee in the black jersey, having nailed 21 of 24 (87 per cent) attempts. Barrett has kicked 15 of 19 (78 per cent). When Mooar and O’Gara analysed Mo’unga’s kicking during his early season rut, they identified his follow-through needed addressing. So Mooar, who is now head coach of Welsh club Scarlets, instructed him to try a new kicking drill at training.
It was awkard, given it required him to hop along on his left-leg after striking the ball, designed to help with a clean follow-through.
‘‘To be honest, I wasn’t much of a fan, I looked like a bit of a dick, hopping after, but it’s good. It’s paying off,’’ Mo’unga said.
Improvement didn’t take long, as his kicking percentage promptly started heading in the right direction.
Before kicking the Crusaders past the Jaguares in the final, he bagged 23 and 20 point hauls respectively against the Highlanders and Hurricanes in the first two rounds of the playoffs.
When the Super season was all said and done, he finished with a 77 per cent (65 from 84) strike rate and was hitting his straps ahead of the all-important international season.