Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
So an early return to New Zealand now looking highly
unlikely for fifty six Test All Blacks First five Richie
mu Woonga, his Japanese club to Sheba and New Zealand
Rugby were in talks to four go the final year
of his three year contract, but those discussions have stalled
and despite All Blacks coach Scott Robertson Robertson rather being
(00:33):
very keen to have his Crusaders quarterback as he used
to call him back in July, the earliest Richie Mwonga
can return to the All Blacks looks like it will
be the middle of next year, the middle of twenty
twenty six. To kick this around, let's bring a News
Talks ED B Rugby editor Elliot Smith. Elliott, first of all,
when you heard this news during the week that an
(00:54):
agreement had not been reached, did that come as a surprise.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
It did a bit piney, to be honest with you,
because from what I'd heard towards the middle to later
point of last year, things were on track and there
was a relative sense of not comfort, but there was
some confidence that Richie Moonger would be back in New
Zealand at some point in twenty twenty five. I guess
when the smoke signals stopped happening and the chatter died down,
(01:23):
that perhaps became more obvious that this was taking a
little bit longer than expected, and certainly had died down
in terms of the chatter on that front. So at
a certain point last year looked like it was more
likely than not that he was coming home. And yeah,
I think overall a bit of a surprise that Richie
Wonger won't be back in New Zealand Rugby this year.
(01:44):
Scott Robertson certainly wanted him back. New Zealand Rugby were
did keen on getting him back, and I think Richie
Wonger was certainly open to the idea as well. But
ultimately New Zealand Rugby is going to have to wait
now and look at the alternate plans for this year
and the All Blacks.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
So why couldn't they reach a deal?
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Well, I think it has to be down to money.
That's the only thing that I can possibly think. He's
signed a deal with Tashiba. He's there for three years.
That's what he agreed to at the back end of
twenty twenty two. He would have had to leave early
to come back to New Zealand Rugby early, and would
have had to change his contract in some way, whether
(02:24):
it be financial compensation, which would be the most likely,
or perhaps they could have worked out some deferral of
his contracts through to maybe after the Rugby World Cup.
But I still think that would have included some form
of financial compensation. So when you've got Tasheba, who have
got him locked down on a multimillion dollar deal for
three seasons, they've got the marketing around him, they've got
(02:47):
pictures of him obviously in their shirt. He's won them
a title, they don't want to let him go particularly easily,
and New Zealand Rugby would have had to come to
the party and figured out some sort of arrangement. Now,
the report this week suggested that to seive it weren't
necessarily against the idea, but they would have had a
number or a clause and mind as to it would
have taken for Richie Muonga to come home early. They
(03:09):
haven't been able to meet on that front. And now
the wedding game goes on for New Zealand Rugby to
Sheeber at least know that the ongoing season in Japan
League One they'll have him till the end, which they
were always going to, but they'll have him for another
season as well now, which continues their ability to plan
getting into to next season.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Why is Scott Robertson so intent on bringing Richie wong
a home early?
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Well, I think you look at his Crusaders record and go,
this is the player that he trusted and gave the
keys to the team two for seven seasons straight and
delivered a trophy of some form in every season there.
So I think that's why, and he believes that he
can unlock that again at All Blacks level. I think
(03:56):
Scott Robertson has developed a game plan in mind at
the Crusaders that he's begun to put into place at
All Blacks level that would suit Richie Moong's style of play.
We didn't see all of that in twenty twenty four,
but I think that's the player that he wants and
believes he's the vital key to delivering the All Blacks
(04:17):
World Cup success come twenty twenty seven. Now, of course,
Richie Wonger left before Scott Robinson even got the All
Blacks job. That's how far back we're talking now in
terms of when things were signed. It was the end
of twenty twenty two that Richie wong has signed for Toshiba,
and he obviously joined after the twenty twenty three World Cup.
(04:37):
Scott Robinson was announced as All Backs coach in the
twenty first of March twenty twenty three. So there's been
a lot of water, a lot of time to go
under the bridge. But Scott Robinson has always known that
Richie Monger wouldn't be there for at least the first season.
There was conversations as we talked about around getting in
for the second season. But it has not been a
surprise that Richie Wonger has not been there for the
All Blacks. It wasn't like he signed after Scott Robinson
(04:58):
had begun as planning. So there needs to be I guess,
you know, a look towards playing some other players in
that which we've seen this year. Obviously Boden Barrett and
Damien McKenzie. They're going to get more time to audition
this year come season twenty twenty five. Now Richie Wonger
won't be at the Helm this year.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
You alluded to it before, but maybe just slightly expand
on Richie Wonger's mindset here. Do you think he wanted
to come home this year.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
I think he was certainly open to the idea. I
know he gave some media interviews last July around the
fact and mentioned that obviously he did sign before Scott
Robertson had become All Blacks coach, the forger stromp partnership
at the Crusaders obviously, and as you mentioned, Scott Robertson
called Richie Wonger his franchise quarterback, so there's a lot
of trust there in that level. And you know, if
(05:46):
Richie Wonger had his time over again, maybe he wouldn't
have signed a three year deal. Maybe he would have
only gone for two and we'd be having this discussion
that Richie Wonger potentially is coming back in the middle
of the year. This is all you know, if, what's
maybe and you know, hypotheticals, really the fact as he
did sign that deal and probably there's a sense of
you know what if. For Richie Moore, he was open
(06:07):
to the prospect, as my understanding, but obviously didn't want
to upsee this current employers t Shiva, because he signed
the deal with them, and you know he's getting well
compensated for going over and doing so. So there's a
lot of plates in the air and juggling for Richie
Moonger to do. Obviously he's enjoying life in Japan. He's
(06:30):
won them a title already. But I think he would
definitely be keen to come back and play for the
All Blacks once again, knowing it was under Scott Robertson.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
How will this saga be leaving Bowden Barrett and particularly
Damien McKenzie feeling when the All Blacks coach is off
chasing somebody else.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Well, yeah, I think there will certainly be a sense
of well, look, we delivered a number of wins last year.
Damien McKenzie started against Ireland, which was seen as you know,
one of the beachmarks of last year along with those
South African Tests, and Damien McKenzie came back from an
Barrett injury and started that Test and performed very very well.
We saw signs from Bowden Barrett as well once he
(07:11):
was given the keys to the team in the latter
part of the year. What he certainly came beloved, So
I think they'll be, you know, perhaps on the inside
quite perhaps happy that Richie and Loong is going to
be at least another year away from coming back to
New Zealand. So they'll get another chance you had think
to audition this year. Barring perhaps a breakout star or
a dominant Super Rugby season from someone that's unheralded, they're
(07:33):
going to get another season to show their whares and
perhaps go, well, look, you know, I deserve to be
the first choice player come twenty twenty six. In twenty
twenty seven, I guess there'll be a bit of frustration
that a lot of this conversation has been held about
a player that has not been in the All Blacks
squad now for more than a year, has not played
under Scott Robertson as an All Black, yet has dominated
so much of the rugby conversation over the last eighteen
(07:56):
months since the year decided to go to Japan.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
So do you think this is the end of it, Elliott?
In terms of this saga, There's not going to be
a reopening of discussions now. Scott Robertson just focuses on
what he has and we wait for mid twenty twenty
six for Richie Wonger.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
Oh, I wouldn't I wouldn't be surprised. Maybe the way
this has gone and the twist and turns finey, we
very well might have another twist in the tail as yet.
You know, we're in the middle of the Tashiba season
at the moment. Is a bye weekend in Japan League
at the moment. If I wouldn't rule out perhaps another discussion,
I think it'd probably be unlikely. But let's not rule
(08:31):
anything out. And the other thing is as well, is
that who's to say that Richim Wanga will necessarily come
back in twenty twenty six. I mean, all the signs
are there. We've talked about it that he wants to
come back to New Zealand rugby. But if Dashiba says, look,
you've landed us the title. It might be two by
the end of the season. Who knows, we want you
to stick around for another three or four years. Here's
the price. Who's to say that Richim Wanger won't come
(08:53):
back or won't stay at Dashiba and decide not to
come back to New Zealand rugby at all. This is
a saga that I don't think he's finished by a
long shot.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Pine It all right, lots to chat about. I'm sure
our listeners will have their views which we can take now.
Thanks so much for starting the conversation for us.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
Elliott, pleasure find me.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
Thanks mate, that's Elliot Smith, our rugby edit to hear
at News Talks EDB match commentator as well. Who'll be
in charge of all of the All Blacks Test matches
in twenty twenty five, but none of them are going
to feature Richie Moonga.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine. Listen live
to News Talks EDB weekends from midday or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio