CONFIRMED: Richie Mo'unga returns to All Blacks squad as injured star sent home

The midfielder will return home to New Zealand to begin his recovery, with the All Blacks selectors confirming the surprise return of Richie Mo’unga as his replacement.

Proctor started at outside centre in the All Blacks’ tour-opening victory over the Stormers in Cape Town, but will now miss the remainder of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry campaign.

All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie admitted the injury was a frustrating blow for Proctor after an impressive season.

"We really feel for Billy. He has had a great season so this is frustrating for him. It is the harsh reality of our game. We wish him all the best with his recovery and hope to see him fit and well in time for the end of year tour selection," Rennie said.

Mo’unga, meanwhile, is set to make a remarkable return to the All Blacks setup after almost three years away from the international game.

The 31-year-old last represented New Zealand at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, where he started at fly-half as the All Blacks reached the final before losing to South Africa.

Following the tournament, Mo’unga moved to Japan to join Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo, where he has continued to establish himself as one of the world's leading playmakers.

He subsequently made his return to New Zealand rugby with Canterbury in the NPC and has already featured twice during the 2026 season. Mo’unga has impressed since returning home and now looks to be in excellent form ahead of his shock recall to the All Blacks.

His international return comes sooner than expected, with the injury to Proctor opening the door for the experienced playmaker to rejoin Dave Rennie’s squad.

Mo’unga is expected to arrive in Johannesburg on Friday, with Rennie immediately challenging him to get up to speed with the All Blacks' systems.

"Richie is the obvious choice as a replacement. His job now is to get in and learn our systems, get his head around the detail and earn the right to play," Rennie said.

Mo’unga’s arrival comes after the All Blacks opened the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry with two victories over the Stormers and the Sharks, with the Bulls and Lions left to face ahead of the four-match Test series against the Springboks.