CONFIRMED: Richie Mo'unga will return to New Zealand in 2027

The seven-time Super Rugby winner will return following his stint in Japan with current JRLO champions Brave Lupus. The 31-year-old Mo’unga became ineligible for All Black selection by playing offshore after the 2023 World Cup Final, but will be back in time to stake a claim for the hotly contested No.10 jersey ahead of the 2027 global showpiece.

Mo’unga has signed an 18-month deal, which makes him eligible to represent Canterbury in the National Provincial Championship and the All Blacks’ Northern Tour in 2026.

Crusaders CEO Colin Mansbridge said: "We're stoked to have him home. This is a place [the Crusaders] where we try to make everybody feel like they belong and it's nice when somebody chooses to come back to the place they belong."

Coach Rob Penney welcomed the return of a proven performer: "He's a great Crusader, his legacy speaks for itself [seven Super Rugby championships], and he wants to add another layer to that. It's wonderful to get someone of his calibre around the group and he'll be in a different space. His maturity and experience over the last three years in Japan… we'll add a lot of intrigue to the competition, but it is some special flavours to the Crusaders in 2027."

Penney added that Mo’unga’s return also strengthens New Zealand’s options at first five-eighth ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup: "The Crusaders will be embracing him fully and trying to milk every little bit of knowledge and inspiration from him while he's here."

Reflecting on Mo’unga’s connection to the team, Penney said: "He's still passionate about the place and him putting the boots on again and wanting to play in 2027 is an indicator of where he sees the place, but also where the place sees him."

With young first-five talent like James White, Taha Kemara, Rivez Reihana, and Harry Inch, Penney said the Crusaders would be well served when Mo’unga returns. He will be managed carefully to balance playing time with the needs of the team, as Mansbridge explained: "When he comes back he's available for Canterbury for the NPC and then the Crusaders for the following season."

From a New Zealand perspective, the news is also music to All Black head coach Scott Robertson’s ears, bolstering his playmaking options alongside Damian McKenzie and Beauden Barrett.