More pain for Lions in ‘ fourth test’?
Coach says Crusaders first- five will be handful for Lions
Richie has had a fantastic year for us — he bounces back from injury well and he’s really resilient. Leon MacDonald, Crusaders assistant coach
New Zealand’s No 10s have already caused the British and Irish Lions trouble on this trip, whether it was Bryn Gatland, Stephen Perofeta or Ihaia West.
Now it’s the turn of Richie Mo’unga to inflict his own particular brand of discomfort on the tourists.
The Crusaders first- five is a key man for Scott Robertson’s team at AMI Stadium tonight. He’s up against England international Owen Farrell, who is likely to wear the No 10 jersey in the first test against the All Blacks at Eden Park on June 24.
If the Lions performance in their defeat to the Blues is anything to go by, he will have a wave of red jerseys in his face for most of the night as the tourists attempt to shut down him and the Crusaders midfield of David Havili and Jack Goodhue, but, as assistant coach Leon MacDonald said yesterday, Mo’unga, still only 23, has the requisite ice in his veins to flourish regardless.
It is his kicking game which perhaps could cause them the most worry, but he also has the hands and feet to cut uncertain defensive lines to shreds, all attributes which have helped his side maintain their unbeaten run this season.
And, in a statement which perhaps might alarm those Lions supporters who can remember the way Dan Carter dominated the test series 12 years ago, MacDonald said he could see a lot of the former Crusader in the incumbent.
“There is a lot of Dan Carter in Richie Mo’unga,” MacDonald said. “Very rarely do you see him rattled at all, at any level. He’s very casual, he enjoys a laugh, he’s a bit of a joker and I think you need that temperament as a 10 because there’s a lot of pressure.
“I watched the [ America’s Cup] sailing and they just seem to have ice cold blood in their veins under immense pressure, and that’s Richie.
” He doesn’t seem to be fazed and for a young guy to control a team like the Crusaders, with a lot of big personalities, a lot of big, strong men who have played a lot of rugby — to run the ship as confidently as he does at his age is a real credit to him.
“He’s got a big future and he’s starting to realise the potential that a lot of people saw in him when he was at school.”
Gatland has brought some good No 10s on this tour of New Zealand, including Farrell, Johnny Sexton and Dan Biggar, but it’s significant that it has been their opposites making the headlines.
There was a note of caution from MacDonald about the expectation on Mo’unga, but there is no doubt everyone at the franchise, and perhaps even at New Zealand Rugby, believes the young man has a big future.
“I don’t want to put pressure on Richie and say there’s a Dan Carter performance brewing [ tonight] but there are similarities to his game,” MacDonald said. “When I was playing, Dan was starting and he had the same attributes.
“Richie has had a fantastic year for us — he bounces back from injury well and he’s really resilient. He reviews his performances really harshly. He’s tough on himself and wants to be better but he has a nice balance in his life. He’s going to get better and at one stage we’ll see him in a black jersey.”