August 7, 2025 • 10 mins
Big news today! It has been annouced that Richie Mo'unga has resigned with NZ Rugby starting mid 2026 and going through to the end of the 2027 World Cup.
Mo'unga will come back into the red and black playing for Canterbury throughout the 2026 NPC season before looking to represent the All Blacks in the latter stages of the season. 2027 will kick off with a return to the Crusaders in Super Rugby Pacific before pushing for World Cup selection.
Mark Robinson, CEO of New Zealand Rugby spoke with D'Arcy Waldegrave about the agreements between NZ Rugby and Mo'unga, conversations with Scott Robinson and the potential for a tense first five battle during Super Rugby in 2027.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Duncie Wildegrave
from News Talk z'd be all right.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Let's get into it. Richie mureunger back. Finally it's been done.
It's been sorted, signed, sealed, delivered, tied up with a
bow on it and the lights talk about that. We're
joined by Chief executive of the New Zealand Rugby Mark Robinson.
Very well, hey mate, thanks for joining us on the
show Big News today. Obviously, Richie Muanga, it's finally over
(00:35):
the line something that you guys. Well, first up, i'll
ask it, how long have you been negotiating this for a.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Look, it's obviously been a bit of speculation over the
last you know, twelve to eighty months, but.
Speaker 4 (00:50):
In practical terms, the.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Most meaningful conversations have been happening for the last few
months really, probably since sort of April or so.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
When you're doing this, you're pulling it out. What are
the major points of negotiation, What were the sticking points?
What were the easy points around getting him home again?
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Look, I think you know ultimately this is Richie's decision,
isn't it? And we're delighted obviously he's a great talent.
Speaker 4 (01:17):
He's been a great servant of the game here in
New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
He you know, contributes incredibly well on and off the field.
So primarily with any athlete, you know, they've got to
be want, wanting to be part of our environments and
our teams, and Richie certainly wants to do that. He
has a strong hunger and desire to be back in
New Zealand. So that was always a really positive start point.
(01:40):
I'm obviously not going to go under the details of it,
but you know, we had some discussions about the length
of contract.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
That was probably the main thing.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
But ultimately, you know, Richie's decided to go through to
the end of the World Cup, which we're really pleased
by and we're looking forward to having him home.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
So eighteen month contract and I think that maybe flies
in the face. Although you guys can make your own
rules because you are nz A, you can do what
you want. But the story's floating around about his ability
to be fast tracked back into the All Blacks. Maybe
he has been stimied because of the short term nature
of the contract.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Yeah, that's right, he'll be He'll be available for the
All Blacks and the latter part of twenty twenty six,
and the exact dates on that aren't clearly because the
calendar and competition's work is still to be finalized. That'll
be announced hopefully in the next two or three months,
and we'll no more than but at this stage it'll
(02:35):
be in than the latter part of twenty six, So.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
That means he won't be playing for the All Blacks initially.
He's got to come back and do some time in
the NPC before he gets that the tick to go
ahead and pull on a black jersey again.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
That's right?
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Was that negotiated? Is there a chance that that might
move with Scott robertson go Actually, if we've won for
the World Cut, we need to get him back in
black as soon as possible. There is there a wiggle
room there.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Mark, Oh, look, this is the reality of the policy
we have, and that was part of the discussions we
had about the length of contract. If we'd had a
a longer agreement then that would have been a possibility,
but we were all parties for really clear that if
it was a shorter term contract like that, that was
(03:22):
the agreement we'd have that to come in will be
available for the All Blacks. Later in twenty six.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Any pressure though from Razor should it be later in
the time.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Games you hold on with Come on, No, I think
everyone's everyone's clear. We had a number of conversations at
the start of the year, didn't we, And I think
Rais has been really clear that having been in the
role now for eighteen months, certainly after his first twelve months,
he saw the real benefit and saw the flexibility we
have with the eligibility policy, saw the benefits of it,
and also saw it from both sides in terms of
(03:53):
us needing to be fair and reasonable.
Speaker 4 (03:54):
With all the players we have in our environments.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
So look, I've not talked to Raiser in the last
little while about this, but no, he's pretty clear about
things stand here.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
As far as discussions not only with Richie, but I'm
presuming with one of your old mates, old teammates, Todd Blackett.
You did you talk to him? Did you pick anything
up from him? After having him under control Mine and
his team that went on to win had another championship.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
We had a couple of chats last year, you know
when unfortunately there was a bit of speculation.
Speaker 4 (04:28):
So Toddy and I have.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Known each other a long time. Again, won't go into
the details of those chats, but a lot of respects
for him and what he's done in Japan and what
he's given New Zealand rugby. So we just wanted to
make sure we're on the same page when there's a
bit of noise floating around. But they were great, great chats.
He was very helpful and constructive, as he always is,
and it was nice to catch up put the art,
(04:50):
we sort of the work stuff out, just to catch
up on how he's doing, how the family is and
all that sort of thing, and how he's doing in life.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
So that it was a nice way.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Rugby has this funny way of reconnecting with people you've
met over the years, Darcy, so it was good to
catch up with them.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Tell me what it's going to make Super Rugby before
the world up. Almost want say a battle of standoff
between the first five eights, but I think rugby fans
in New Zenand will be looking to what Bowden Barrett thinks,
how Damien McKenzie reacts. You've got the other guys like
Rubin Love and Stephen Penafetta. This is going to create
i won't say acts, but pretty stern competition in that
(05:26):
first up super season of the year of the World Cup,
isn't it.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
Yeah, I mean it's what fans want, isn't it. They
want to see the best playing the best, and we've
got a lot of depths and talent coming through. We
saw that in Super Rugby this year. We know that
fans love seeing these these very elite players and the
emerging stars come through and competing against you that all
the storylines you just talked to, all the speculation about,
(05:52):
you know, some of those possibilities are all what you
know following Super Rugby is all about, and then the
anticipation of the All Blacks.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
So it's fantastic for environments.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
When we look across you know, our retention rates and
some of the announcements we've made in recent months, some
we've got, you know, just ahead of us in the
next month or so left to make Darci.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
We're really pleased with the level of.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
Talent we're keeping in the country and need to have
people like Richie and Less obviously recently coming back into
New Zealand is a really good sign that you know,
we're creating great environments for our players, great competitions and
in fantastic calendar when you think about next year with
the South Africa Versus All Black Series and the first
Nations Championship. Hopefully we'll have everyone else more about those
(06:34):
in coming months. You've got two lines too, as men's
and women's, and we'll host South Africa back here for
a long old school tour in twenty thirty. You know,
I think athletes are certainly sitting up and taking notice
at these pinnacle events once in a lifetime, once in
a career types sort of opportunities, and they want to
be part of them. And we're just tough that that's happening.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
I'm not sure if you paid too much attention to
the media in genuine we see Stephen Jones has been
causing a RUCKASA over in England suggesting maybe that the
Lions don't need to come next time around, and maybe
they can lay that you are across any of that
at all. About the lines.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Future, well, we had Stephen wouldn't be aware of this,
but we had a fantastic meeting in Sydney last week
with the Lions and the build up to the last test.
Speaker 4 (07:18):
We had a whole day.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Midweek and yeah, plans are steaming along really well. We're
hugely excited about where things sit there. We spent a
lot of time talking about the potential schedule, you know,
the number of tests of non tests of what the
they've worked towards a joint venture model and more recent
tours Darcy with South Africa which was unfortunately impacted by
(07:42):
COVID and then Australia this year, so that's a new
model we're sort of getting our heads around and understanding
more about.
Speaker 4 (07:47):
So we spent a lot of time on that.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
And look, you know, the Lines are hugely excited about
coming to New Zealand and we're looking.
Speaker 4 (07:53):
Forward to having them here. And then we of course
spent a lot of time.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
We're getting closer to announcing what the what the format
and nature of the Women's Lines. Two of the inaugural
Women's Lines tour in twenty twenty seven will be and
that's that's going to.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
Be super exciting as well.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
We're really excited about where we're landing with that program.
So no, Stephen might be a little bit off course there,
but that won't be the first time and probably won't
be the last.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
With the media, mate, that's what we do. One last
thing I was talking to the former chair of Rugby
Australia yesterday around the concept or the release that pretty
much eligibility laws have been punted over with rugby Australia
and maybe there's see a lot more players disappearing off shore.
(08:41):
You were cross that does that ultra orjust anything that
needs on Rugby plan on doing when you look at
the amount of nations now who are basically there their
players go.
Speaker 4 (08:51):
We didn't pick that up last week.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
It wasn't certainly for all the meetings we were in
last week it didn't come up. So and Phil's Phil
wore my counterpart at Australia's having a bit of a
well earned break at the moment, I think he's in
He's in God's own down and WONNICA at the moment.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
Warris.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
So we've not had the chance to chat, but I
mean I've only read what you've read, Darcy, and at
one level that sort of made a statement that they
were not observing the Ghiddo law anymore, and then another
level they were saying it was sort of stand up
there to been the case for a while now. So
until I talked to Philip, I probably couldn't comment too much.
But it also said I think we've got to recognize
(09:28):
really strongly working to keep all the best talent they
can in Australia and that's that's really important for the
competitional obviously, so I don't want to read too much
into it. I don't know whether they were caught out
talking about that in the aftermath of the Lions or
what's happened there, but we're expecting them to have the
best possible talent they can keep in the country and
(09:49):
we saw the benefit of that with less teams in Australia,
you know, and the concentration of that talent across four
teams certainly meant they were far more competitive this year
and that was great for the comp.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
OZI rugby needs to be strong. We all know it
works extraordinarily well for New Zealand rugby. Mark Robinson, thanks
for joining us. They can great relations on finally getting
Richie over the line. Huge news means he's come back,
mister Fangnuku and as a Crusaders fan, I'm dancing right now, mate.
Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Duncie Wildegrave
from News Talk z'd be all right.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Let's get into it. Richie mureunger back. Finally it's been done.
It's been sorted, signed, sealed, delivered, tied up with a
bow on it and the lights talk about that. We're
joined by Chief executive of the New Zealand Rugby Mark Robinson.
Very well, hey mate, thanks for joining us on the
show Big News today. Obviously, Richie Muanga, it's finally over
(00:35):
the line something that you guys. Well, first up, i'll
ask it, how long have you been negotiating this for a.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Look, it's obviously been a bit of speculation over the
last you know, twelve to eighty months, but.
Speaker 4 (00:50):
In practical terms, the.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Most meaningful conversations have been happening for the last few
months really, probably since sort of April or so.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
When you're doing this, you're pulling it out. What are
the major points of negotiation, What were the sticking points?
What were the easy points around getting him home again?
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Look, I think you know ultimately this is Richie's decision,
isn't it? And we're delighted obviously he's a great talent.
Speaker 4 (01:17):
He's been a great servant of the game here in
New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
He you know, contributes incredibly well on and off the field.
So primarily with any athlete, you know, they've got to
be want, wanting to be part of our environments and
our teams, and Richie certainly wants to do that. He
has a strong hunger and desire to be back in
New Zealand. So that was always a really positive start point.
(01:40):
I'm obviously not going to go under the details of it,
but you know, we had some discussions about the length
of contract.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
That was probably the main thing.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
But ultimately, you know, Richie's decided to go through to
the end of the World Cup, which we're really pleased
by and we're looking forward to having him home.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
So eighteen month contract and I think that maybe flies
in the face. Although you guys can make your own
rules because you are nz A, you can do what
you want. But the story's floating around about his ability
to be fast tracked back into the All Blacks. Maybe
he has been stimied because of the short term nature
of the contract.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Yeah, that's right, he'll be He'll be available for the
All Blacks and the latter part of twenty twenty six,
and the exact dates on that aren't clearly because the
calendar and competition's work is still to be finalized. That'll
be announced hopefully in the next two or three months,
and we'll no more than but at this stage it'll
(02:35):
be in than the latter part of twenty six, So.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
That means he won't be playing for the All Blacks initially.
He's got to come back and do some time in
the NPC before he gets that the tick to go
ahead and pull on a black jersey again.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
That's right?
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Was that negotiated? Is there a chance that that might
move with Scott robertson go Actually, if we've won for
the World Cut, we need to get him back in
black as soon as possible. There is there a wiggle
room there.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Mark, Oh, look, this is the reality of the policy
we have, and that was part of the discussions we
had about the length of contract. If we'd had a
a longer agreement then that would have been a possibility,
but we were all parties for really clear that if
it was a shorter term contract like that, that was
(03:22):
the agreement we'd have that to come in will be
available for the All Blacks. Later in twenty six.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Any pressure though from Razor should it be later in
the time.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Games you hold on with Come on, No, I think
everyone's everyone's clear. We had a number of conversations at
the start of the year, didn't we, And I think
Rais has been really clear that having been in the
role now for eighteen months, certainly after his first twelve months,
he saw the real benefit and saw the flexibility we
have with the eligibility policy, saw the benefits of it,
and also saw it from both sides in terms of
(03:53):
us needing to be fair and reasonable.
Speaker 4 (03:54):
With all the players we have in our environments.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
So look, I've not talked to Raiser in the last
little while about this, but no, he's pretty clear about
things stand here.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
As far as discussions not only with Richie, but I'm
presuming with one of your old mates, old teammates, Todd Blackett.
You did you talk to him? Did you pick anything
up from him? After having him under control Mine and
his team that went on to win had another championship.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
We had a couple of chats last year, you know
when unfortunately there was a bit of speculation.
Speaker 4 (04:28):
So Toddy and I have.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Known each other a long time. Again, won't go into
the details of those chats, but a lot of respects
for him and what he's done in Japan and what
he's given New Zealand rugby. So we just wanted to
make sure we're on the same page when there's a
bit of noise floating around. But they were great, great chats.
He was very helpful and constructive, as he always is,
and it was nice to catch up put the art,
(04:50):
we sort of the work stuff out, just to catch
up on how he's doing, how the family is and
all that sort of thing, and how he's doing in life.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
So that it was a nice way.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Rugby has this funny way of reconnecting with people you've
met over the years, Darcy, so it was good to
catch up with them.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Tell me what it's going to make Super Rugby before
the world up. Almost want say a battle of standoff
between the first five eights, but I think rugby fans
in New Zenand will be looking to what Bowden Barrett thinks,
how Damien McKenzie reacts. You've got the other guys like
Rubin Love and Stephen Penafetta. This is going to create
i won't say acts, but pretty stern competition in that
(05:26):
first up super season of the year of the World Cup,
isn't it.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
Yeah, I mean it's what fans want, isn't it. They
want to see the best playing the best, and we've
got a lot of depths and talent coming through. We
saw that in Super Rugby this year. We know that
fans love seeing these these very elite players and the
emerging stars come through and competing against you that all
the storylines you just talked to, all the speculation about,
(05:52):
you know, some of those possibilities are all what you
know following Super Rugby is all about, and then the
anticipation of the All Blacks.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
So it's fantastic for environments.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
When we look across you know, our retention rates and
some of the announcements we've made in recent months, some
we've got, you know, just ahead of us in the
next month or so left to make Darci.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
We're really pleased with the level of.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
Talent we're keeping in the country and need to have
people like Richie and Less obviously recently coming back into
New Zealand is a really good sign that you know,
we're creating great environments for our players, great competitions and
in fantastic calendar when you think about next year with
the South Africa Versus All Black Series and the first
Nations Championship. Hopefully we'll have everyone else more about those
(06:34):
in coming months. You've got two lines too, as men's
and women's, and we'll host South Africa back here for
a long old school tour in twenty thirty. You know,
I think athletes are certainly sitting up and taking notice
at these pinnacle events once in a lifetime, once in
a career types sort of opportunities, and they want to
be part of them. And we're just tough that that's happening.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
I'm not sure if you paid too much attention to
the media in genuine we see Stephen Jones has been
causing a RUCKASA over in England suggesting maybe that the
Lions don't need to come next time around, and maybe
they can lay that you are across any of that
at all. About the lines.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Future, well, we had Stephen wouldn't be aware of this,
but we had a fantastic meeting in Sydney last week
with the Lions and the build up to the last test.
Speaker 4 (07:18):
We had a whole day.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Midweek and yeah, plans are steaming along really well. We're
hugely excited about where things sit there. We spent a
lot of time talking about the potential schedule, you know,
the number of tests of non tests of what the
they've worked towards a joint venture model and more recent
tours Darcy with South Africa which was unfortunately impacted by
(07:42):
COVID and then Australia this year, so that's a new
model we're sort of getting our heads around and understanding
more about.
Speaker 4 (07:47):
So we spent a lot of time on that.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
And look, you know, the Lines are hugely excited about
coming to New Zealand and we're looking.
Speaker 4 (07:53):
Forward to having them here. And then we of course
spent a lot of time.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
We're getting closer to announcing what the what the format
and nature of the Women's Lines. Two of the inaugural
Women's Lines tour in twenty twenty seven will be and
that's that's going to.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
Be super exciting as well.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
We're really excited about where we're landing with that program.
So no, Stephen might be a little bit off course there,
but that won't be the first time and probably won't
be the last.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
With the media, mate, that's what we do. One last
thing I was talking to the former chair of Rugby
Australia yesterday around the concept or the release that pretty
much eligibility laws have been punted over with rugby Australia
and maybe there's see a lot more players disappearing off shore.
(08:41):
You were cross that does that ultra orjust anything that
needs on Rugby plan on doing when you look at
the amount of nations now who are basically there their
players go.
Speaker 4 (08:51):
We didn't pick that up last week.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
It wasn't certainly for all the meetings we were in
last week it didn't come up. So and Phil's Phil
wore my counterpart at Australia's having a bit of a
well earned break at the moment, I think he's in
He's in God's own down and WONNICA at the moment.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
Warris.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
So we've not had the chance to chat, but I
mean I've only read what you've read, Darcy, and at
one level that sort of made a statement that they
were not observing the Ghiddo law anymore, and then another
level they were saying it was sort of stand up
there to been the case for a while now. So
until I talked to Philip, I probably couldn't comment too much.
But it also said I think we've got to recognize
(09:28):
really strongly working to keep all the best talent they
can in Australia and that's that's really important for the
competitional obviously, so I don't want to read too much
into it. I don't know whether they were caught out
talking about that in the aftermath of the Lions or
what's happened there, but we're expecting them to have the
best possible talent they can keep in the country and
(09:49):
we saw the benefit of that with less teams in Australia,
you know, and the concentration of that talent across four
teams certainly meant they were far more competitive this year
and that was great for the comp.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
OZI rugby needs to be strong. We all know it
works extraordinarily well for New Zealand rugby. Mark Robinson, thanks
for joining us. They can great relations on finally getting
Richie over the line. Huge news means he's come back,
mister Fangnuku and as a Crusaders fan, I'm dancing right now, mate.
Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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