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All Blacks and Crusaders first five eighths Richie Mo’unga will mark his 50th game for Canterbury when he comes out of the handstand against North Harbor on Friday night.
Mo’unga is one of six All Blacks named in the Reds and Blacks 23rd for his first season in Auckland, although he is the only one not to start.
Instead, coaches Reuben Thorne and Mark Brown have chosen to initiate the playmaker on the bench nearly three years since his 49th game, when he scored 25 of Canterbury’s 35 points in their 35-13 win over Tasman in the final of 2017.
As Brown said, it speaks of a luxury.
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“I guess the position we took was that we wanted to reward some of the key guys who did well in the preseason, the Shield game. [against North Otago] and Tasman.
“Particularly those in influential positions like running back and 10. We have some quality guys on the bench coming back.”
Hagen Hopkins / Getty Images
Richie Mo’unga is one of six All Blacks named to the Canterbury squad to play North Harbor on Friday night in Auckland.
So in a Super Rugby Aotearoa reversal after David Havili broke his thumb, Mo’unga will provide backup for Brett Cameron.
All Blacks Joe Moody, Codie Taylor, Sam Whitelock, Cullen Grace and George Bridge are part of a team that only includes two non-Super Rugby players: prop Fletcher Newell and midfielder Rameka Poihipi.
Newell, a product of Rangiora, was just 10 years old when Crusaders and All Blacks centurion Whitelock last pulled the red and black stripe in 2010.
“We just said that the team huddles there at the end, [Mitchell Drummond] he asked Sammy, “When was the last time you played for Canterbury?” He said 2010. Then he went to Fletcher [Newell], the young mainstay who started this year, and he was 10 at the time, ” said new captain Reed Prinsep.
Martin Hunter / Getty Images
Reed Prinsep was named this week as Canterbury 2020 skipper.
“Looking at that, it’s pretty exciting.”
In addition to Mo’unga, the Canterbury bank includes regular Crusaders Mitch Dunshea and Whetukamokamo Douglas. Running back Mitchell Drummond will be backing up Ere Enari.
Highlanders utility Ngane Punivai was unavailable with a “niggle,” but brother Isaiah has been named to the bench for the 14-time champions.
Kai Schwoerer / Getty Images
Manasa Mataele, Josh McKay and George Bridge will form a powerful back three for Canterbury on Friday night in Auckland.
Crusaders mainstay Oli Jager and flanks Tom Christie and Tom Sanders have had an extra week off after playing in the North-South game last week.
Brown confirmed there were no minute restrictions for the All Blacks, who will be available for at least the first two weeks of the competition.
That means the Ranfurly Shield defense next weekend against Taranaki is shaping up to be another clash between Mo’unga and Beauden Barrett.
Take a look
North Harbor v Canterbury
When: Friday, 7.05pm
Where: North Harbor Stadium, Auckland
Canterbury: Josh McKay, George Bridge, Dallas McLeod, Rameka Poihipi, Manasa Mataele, Brett Cameron, Ere Enari, Cullen Grace, Billy Harmon, Reed Prinsep (c), Sam Whitelock, Luke Romano, Fletcher Newell, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody. Bookings: Shilo Klein, Finlay Brewis, Children Williams, Mitch Dunshea, Whetukamokamo Douglas, Mitchell Drummond, Richie Mo’unga, Isaiah Punivai.
North Port: Shaun Stevenson, Ngarohi McGarvey-Black, Asaeli Tikoirotuma, James Little, Walter Fifita, Bryn Gatland, Bryn Hall, Murphy Taramai, Dillon Hunt, Ethan Roots, Jacob Pierce, Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, Sione Mafileo, Luteru Tolai, Karl Tu’inukuafe . Bookings: Zane Turner, Teague McElroy, Jimmy Roots, Tim Sail, Tamarau McGahan, Lewis Gjaltema, Fine Inisi, Tomas Aoake.
