August 8, 2025 • 9 mins
Former All Blacks coach Sir Steve Hansen thinks getting former New Zealand and Crusaders star playmaker Richie Mo'unga back for the next World Cup is a good bit of business all round.
Hansen's been on the ground in Japan at Toyota Verblitz, where Mo'unga's guided Toshiba to back-to-back titles in the top league.
He told Jason Pine he's got no doubt the 31-year-old will hit the ground running, as Ardie Savea and Beauden Barrett, among others, have.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks edb.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Ritchie Moore Wonger signing an eighteen month to heal from
mid next year through to the end of twenty seven.
He'll play NPC for Canterbury before becoming eligible for the
All Blacks from next October. He has of course been
playing the last two years in Japan, where he has
led to Siba to back to back titles. Let's bring
in former World Cup winning All Blacks coach and current
(00:33):
head coach at Japanese side Toyota ver Blitz So Steve Hanson. Steve,
thanks for joining us with your insight. First of all,
is this a good outcome for New Zealand Rugby, for
the All Blacks and for Richie Moore Ononger himself.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
It's obviously a good outcome for Richie because he's agreed
to do it, so he's probably very happy with it. Look,
I think he's another quality player that's available for the
All Blacks, so it's a great outcome for them as well.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
And we know he's a quality player.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
He's he's won many many titles and you know five
eights your main computer.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
So he's obviously doing a good job.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
In the team he's in, and he's had a third
and a second out of World Cup, so you know
he's obviously performed at those levels as well.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
And it adds to the depth, you.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Know, with Boden playing really well, McKenzie playing well and
Richie coming back, so.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
You need depth to be able to win World Cups.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
The big question I think that everybody would like to
know the answer to, and you're perfectly positioned to give
us some insight, is whether he'll be prepared for Test rugby.
He'll come back play, but the inn PC off the
back of two seasons in Japan, Steve, how prepared will
he be to return to Test rugby here?
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Be prepared like you've seen Ardie Severe come back and play.
You've seen Vodenbert come back and play, and both of
them have played well. So I think there's a bit
of a myth from years gone by about Japanese rugby.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Is not strong enough for preparing you for Test footy.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
But there's a lot changed up here and the coaching,
the depth of player quality across all the teams. It's
a very very competitive competition and you know, to be
in a winning team like he has.
Speaker 4 (02:34):
You've got to be playing well and you've.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Got to be doing commitment to your standards and the
stuff that you and your team needs you to be doing.
So I've got no doubt you'll come back and play well. Obviously,
Test rugby is a big step up from Super rugby
or even Japanese rugby. You know that doesn't matter where
(02:58):
you go. The step ups big and you've got to
be prepared for it. But we know that he's been
there before and he's done the job before. So yeah,
I think of people like Jerome Kiner came back and
was a superstar when he came back. Yeah, Adie Severe
played particularly well as well.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yeah, I've got Jerome down actually because he is a
specific successful example of a guy. I went to Japan,
played a couple of seasons there, came back to New
Zealand part of your World Cup winning side in twenty fifteen.
What were the reasons it worked so well for a
plant like Jerome Kinel, Well.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Jerome was pretty beat up when he left, so you know,
just getting the opportunity to be mentally being a different
place and have different stimuli I think refreshed and recharged
his batteries and you know, I'm sure.
Speaker 4 (03:52):
If you look at Richie the same thing's happening with
him mentally.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
I know, talking to Bowden quite frequently, you know just
how much he loved the Japan stints that he's had,
because you know, it is front and the stimuli is
different and you come back and I wouldn't call it
a grind, but it's you know, you're under that constant
pressure when you're backing in z whereas here you just
(04:18):
you know, a body, not somebody.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Man management around this Steve, you know every coach has
to manage their players. How much of a man management
challenge will raise in our faces? He as he as
Boone Baron Damien McKenzie. Richie's not back till next year,
So how does he manage those two before Richie gets
back and then after he gets.
Speaker 4 (04:40):
Back, Well that's a million dollar question.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
How well he does that job will really showing how
how well all three of them come back into the group.
And you know, you've just got to be upfront and
honest and make your selections based on on good cry
to your ear, and if everyone's playing well, then it
becomes a really tough selection question. If someone's not playing well,
(05:05):
then yeah, it makes it harder for you to get picked.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
Doesn't it.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Well, exactly, you definitely have to have good conversations and
be honest and upfront, and I'm sure he will.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Be yeah and well again, you know, without knowing the
conversations that go on if I'm bowed em barried or
I'm Damien McKenzie. Am I looking across up my All
Blacks coaches thinking to myself, he'd actually prefer if another
bloke was in the ten Jersey, not me.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
Look, I think their questions you have to ask Bone
and Damien, you know, like stuff. I can't answer that
for you because but both those young men are good
all they're great All Blacks, and they're good men who
have always put the team first. So they'll be looking
to play really, really well and and make it really
(05:55):
difficult for someone like Richie to get back in the team.
I wouldn't think it's a given that Richie just walks
straight back in. I think he has to earn the right,
just like the other two boys having doing the right.
But again, the conversations you probably should have with Razor
and Damien, and.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Indeed, as Richie really stood out over there the last
couple of seasons, has he been among the best players,
if not the best player there the last couple of years.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
Well, there's a lot of good players here, so you know,
at times his performances have been.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Very very good.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
When I've seen him play, but there's other players that
are very very good too, so it's hard to say
he's been the outstanding player.
Speaker 4 (06:42):
But again, when you look at.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
The results, he's in a team that's won the competition twice.
He's the team, he drives that team, so he's obviously
playing well and that's a great sign for him, and
it's a great sign for when he goes back to
New Zealand if he continues to do that.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
And after the next World Cup, he'll be thirty three.
So if he chooses, would he still command good interest
back in Japan if he chose to come back, say
in twenty twenty eight.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
Well, thirty three is a new twenty three with these
looks like they're all seem to be playing forever.
Speaker 4 (07:19):
So and you know, the recovery and the system of.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
S and C has changed so much that you know
the guys can play for a long long time.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
And thirty three's he's just a baby.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
And just on the standard you mentioned before about where
it sits now, you know League one in Japan, So
is it now Is it close to Super Rugby, Steve?
Is it between NPC and Super Rugby in general terms
in terms of its strength?
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Well, it depends really if you allow the clubs to
play with no.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
Criteria around this foreign players.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
See over here you only allowed six foreign players in
your squad of twenty three.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
So but.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
That puts you know, if we had to play under.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Those circumstances and Super Rugia, No, I don't think it
is the same.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
Level as Super Rugby.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
However, with the squads have got and they're training with,
I think their training.
Speaker 4 (08:22):
Squads are definitely Super.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Rugby level, and you know some of the very top teams,
some of the lesser teams down the bottom probably aren't.
Speaker 4 (08:33):
And you know, you can get a few injuries and
they're going to drop off.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
But we saw pre season a couple of years ago
Panasonic competed beat teams. I'm not sure if anyone else
one I think there might have been, I can't remember
now my memory is going.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
But because the quality.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
Of squads that is deep and and it's just getting
better and better all the time, and you got.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Mark to lay coming your way, it'd be a pretty
decent pick up, wouldn't he go?
Speaker 1 (09:04):
Well?
Speaker 4 (09:04):
Up there?
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Well, I hope, So that's where we picked him.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
We're looking forward to having him and what he brings
to our team.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
And you know, again, it's an exciting time for him
and his family and exciting time for the club to
introduce him to Japanese rugby.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Looking forward to seeing how he goes. Really appreciate your
time and your insight this afternoon, Steve, Thanks for joining us,
No problem.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Thank you for more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine.
Listen live to News Talks it B weekends from midday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks edb.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Ritchie Moore Wonger signing an eighteen month to heal from
mid next year through to the end of twenty seven.
He'll play NPC for Canterbury before becoming eligible for the
All Blacks from next October. He has of course been
playing the last two years in Japan, where he has
led to Siba to back to back titles. Let's bring
in former World Cup winning All Blacks coach and current
(00:33):
head coach at Japanese side Toyota ver Blitz So Steve Hanson. Steve,
thanks for joining us with your insight. First of all,
is this a good outcome for New Zealand Rugby, for
the All Blacks and for Richie Moore Ononger himself.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
It's obviously a good outcome for Richie because he's agreed
to do it, so he's probably very happy with it. Look,
I think he's another quality player that's available for the
All Blacks, so it's a great outcome for them as well.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
And we know he's a quality player.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
He's he's won many many titles and you know five
eights your main computer.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
So he's obviously doing a good job.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
In the team he's in, and he's had a third
and a second out of World Cup, so you know
he's obviously performed at those levels as well.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
And it adds to the depth, you.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Know, with Boden playing really well, McKenzie playing well and
Richie coming back, so.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
You need depth to be able to win World Cups.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
The big question I think that everybody would like to
know the answer to, and you're perfectly positioned to give
us some insight, is whether he'll be prepared for Test rugby.
He'll come back play, but the inn PC off the
back of two seasons in Japan, Steve, how prepared will
he be to return to Test rugby here?
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Be prepared like you've seen Ardie Severe come back and play.
You've seen Vodenbert come back and play, and both of
them have played well. So I think there's a bit
of a myth from years gone by about Japanese rugby.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Is not strong enough for preparing you for Test footy.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
But there's a lot changed up here and the coaching,
the depth of player quality across all the teams. It's
a very very competitive competition and you know, to be
in a winning team like he has.
Speaker 4 (02:34):
You've got to be playing well and you've.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Got to be doing commitment to your standards and the
stuff that you and your team needs you to be doing.
So I've got no doubt you'll come back and play well. Obviously,
Test rugby is a big step up from Super rugby
or even Japanese rugby. You know that doesn't matter where
(02:58):
you go. The step ups big and you've got to
be prepared for it. But we know that he's been
there before and he's done the job before. So yeah,
I think of people like Jerome Kiner came back and
was a superstar when he came back. Yeah, Adie Severe
played particularly well as well.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yeah, I've got Jerome down actually because he is a
specific successful example of a guy. I went to Japan,
played a couple of seasons there, came back to New
Zealand part of your World Cup winning side in twenty fifteen.
What were the reasons it worked so well for a
plant like Jerome Kinel, Well.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Jerome was pretty beat up when he left, so you know,
just getting the opportunity to be mentally being a different
place and have different stimuli I think refreshed and recharged
his batteries and you know, I'm sure.
Speaker 4 (03:52):
If you look at Richie the same thing's happening with
him mentally.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
I know, talking to Bowden quite frequently, you know just
how much he loved the Japan stints that he's had,
because you know, it is front and the stimuli is
different and you come back and I wouldn't call it
a grind, but it's you know, you're under that constant
pressure when you're backing in z whereas here you just
(04:18):
you know, a body, not somebody.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Man management around this Steve, you know every coach has
to manage their players. How much of a man management
challenge will raise in our faces? He as he as
Boone Baron Damien McKenzie. Richie's not back till next year,
So how does he manage those two before Richie gets
back and then after he gets.
Speaker 4 (04:40):
Back, Well that's a million dollar question.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
How well he does that job will really showing how
how well all three of them come back into the group.
And you know, you've just got to be upfront and
honest and make your selections based on on good cry
to your ear, and if everyone's playing well, then it
becomes a really tough selection question. If someone's not playing well,
(05:05):
then yeah, it makes it harder for you to get picked.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
Doesn't it.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Well, exactly, you definitely have to have good conversations and
be honest and upfront, and I'm sure he will.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Be yeah and well again, you know, without knowing the
conversations that go on if I'm bowed em barried or
I'm Damien McKenzie. Am I looking across up my All
Blacks coaches thinking to myself, he'd actually prefer if another
bloke was in the ten Jersey, not me.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
Look, I think their questions you have to ask Bone
and Damien, you know, like stuff. I can't answer that
for you because but both those young men are good
all they're great All Blacks, and they're good men who
have always put the team first. So they'll be looking
to play really, really well and and make it really
(05:55):
difficult for someone like Richie to get back in the team.
I wouldn't think it's a given that Richie just walks
straight back in. I think he has to earn the right,
just like the other two boys having doing the right.
But again, the conversations you probably should have with Razor
and Damien, and.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Indeed, as Richie really stood out over there the last
couple of seasons, has he been among the best players,
if not the best player there the last couple of years.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
Well, there's a lot of good players here, so you know,
at times his performances have been.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Very very good.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
When I've seen him play, but there's other players that
are very very good too, so it's hard to say
he's been the outstanding player.
Speaker 4 (06:42):
But again, when you look at.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
The results, he's in a team that's won the competition twice.
He's the team, he drives that team, so he's obviously
playing well and that's a great sign for him, and
it's a great sign for when he goes back to
New Zealand if he continues to do that.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
And after the next World Cup, he'll be thirty three.
So if he chooses, would he still command good interest
back in Japan if he chose to come back, say
in twenty twenty eight.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
Well, thirty three is a new twenty three with these
looks like they're all seem to be playing forever.
Speaker 4 (07:19):
So and you know, the recovery and the system of.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
S and C has changed so much that you know
the guys can play for a long long time.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
And thirty three's he's just a baby.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
And just on the standard you mentioned before about where
it sits now, you know League one in Japan, So
is it now Is it close to Super Rugby, Steve?
Is it between NPC and Super Rugby in general terms
in terms of its strength?
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Well, it depends really if you allow the clubs to
play with no.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
Criteria around this foreign players.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
See over here you only allowed six foreign players in
your squad of twenty three.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
So but.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
That puts you know, if we had to play under.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Those circumstances and Super Rugia, No, I don't think it
is the same.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
Level as Super Rugby.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
However, with the squads have got and they're training with,
I think their training.
Speaker 4 (08:22):
Squads are definitely Super.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Rugby level, and you know some of the very top teams,
some of the lesser teams down the bottom probably aren't.
Speaker 4 (08:33):
And you know, you can get a few injuries and
they're going to drop off.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
But we saw pre season a couple of years ago
Panasonic competed beat teams. I'm not sure if anyone else
one I think there might have been, I can't remember
now my memory is going.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
But because the quality.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
Of squads that is deep and and it's just getting
better and better all the time, and you got.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Mark to lay coming your way, it'd be a pretty
decent pick up, wouldn't he go?
Speaker 1 (09:04):
Well?
Speaker 4 (09:04):
Up there?
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Well, I hope, So that's where we picked him.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
We're looking forward to having him and what he brings
to our team.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
And you know, again, it's an exciting time for him
and his family and exciting time for the club to
introduce him to Japanese rugby.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Looking forward to seeing how he goes. Really appreciate your
time and your insight this afternoon, Steve, Thanks for joining us,
No problem.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Thank you for more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine.
Listen live to News Talks it B weekends from midday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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