Jason Pine: Sportstalk host on whether Richie Mo’unga could make a return to the All Blacks

All Black Billy Proctor is returning from South Africa with a fractured shoulder blade set to rule him out for up to 12 weeks, just as coach Dave Rennie rolls out his team to play the Sharks on Wednesday.

Richie Mo’unga could be invited over as a replacement.

New Zealand's changes for the next match feature Luke Jacobson as captain and potential debuts for Semisi Ta’eiloa and Bradley Slater off the bench.

Sportstalk host Jason Pine explained further.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Jason pine sports Stalk Coasters with us at Piney. Hello, Heather,
do we need Richie Moonger? Do you think?

Speaker 2 (00:05):
Well, there's a couple of things at play here. Dave
Rennie has always made no secret of the fact that
he wants Richie Mwonga there. He lobbied really hard to
be able to select him before he played MPC, and
so Rugby said no, needs to play in PC. He
sticked that box. Now, Billy Proctors the midfield back, Richie
moong is a first five. They're not a million miles
away from each other position wise. But the fact is

(00:25):
we've got four first fives on this tour already and
all four are fully fit.

Speaker 3 (00:31):
So do you need to add a fifth one into there?
I don't know.

Speaker 2 (00:36):
I'm just not sure the optics are right. Richie moong
terrific player. We'll get the chance to play for the
All Blacks again. But I just wonder whether they just
need to stick with what they've got to bring over
a like for like for Billy Procter and sort of
carry on.

Speaker 3 (00:48):
I don't know what you think.

Speaker 1 (00:50):
I'm going to defer to you on this, but if
isn't Richie just the best in the business.

Speaker 3 (00:55):
Well he was when he left, and we haven't had
a huge well, I don't know that. I don't think
anybody knows because he hasn't played Test rug b for
three years, so we don't know where he is. I mean,
terrific in Japan and Dave Rennie's got a very good
eye and he's been watching Richie play in Japan, of
course against teams he's been coaching for the last little while. Like,
let's say, terrific player. But I just wonder about dropping

(01:18):
somebody into an established team. I'd be going to camroy Gard,
Rubin Love, Jeordi Barrett Quintepaya nineteen twelve thirteen.

Speaker 2 (01:25):
You guys are our team. We need you to win
this series against South Africa. Richie, we want you, but
this isn't the time.

Speaker 1 (01:32):
Hey, do you I feel a little bit more confident
about the All Blacks chances against the South Africans after
watching that game against Argentina. What do you think?

Speaker 3 (01:39):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (01:39):
I do too, I do too, And look, I don't
think anybody was filled with confidence the way the All
Blacks played against the Stormers. But that was very much
a second screen team. You've wanted to call a bunch
of guys hadn't played for a while. Wednesday against the
Sharks will be very instructive, I think.

Speaker 3 (01:54):
But you're right.

Speaker 2 (01:54):
I mean, it wasn't as though South Africa completely monstered Argentina.
In fact, they could have drawn that game if argent
the Argentinian bloke had held onto the ball near the end.
But yeah, look I I I still think their favorite.
But I'm not absolutely petrified about the prospect of this
Fortes series.

Speaker 1 (02:11):
Mate, Can we talk about the Warriors? How good was that?

Speaker 2 (02:14):
That's so good? That was just magnificent on Friday. The
Penrith Panthers are the benchmark, you know, they're They're the
best team in the camp, have been all season and
the Warriors kept them to nil at half time. A
couple of tries made it interesting. But the Warriors, Heather,
you know, they could they could win the minor premiership,
the regular season silverware, and they could go deep in
the playoffs. We have to believe it now. They are

(02:35):
the real deal.

Speaker 1 (02:37):
And and does does what's his face? What text him?
Text you about him? What's his name again? Is Luke?

Speaker 3 (02:43):
Luke McCarthy? Yeah, I got I loved your text.

Speaker 1 (02:45):
Yeah, I loved you you know, I text you and
tell you you were right.

Speaker 2 (02:48):
I know it doesn't happen very often. I've got a
luxury add in these things when they when when you
know when it happened about ones every three sears.

Speaker 1 (02:54):
But has he locked in? Like, is he the preferred
player out has just been for the rest of the season,
do you.

Speaker 2 (02:58):
Reckon has to be has to be best player out
there on Friday. You know, it doesn't matter how he
got there, He's there now. I think he wears seven
for the rest of the season.

Speaker 1 (03:07):
Oh brilliant Piney, Thank you very much, mate. Go well.
That's Jason pine Sports talk hosts.

Speaker 2 (03:12):
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