New Zealand Rugby chief rules Toshiba’s Richie Mo’unga out of South Africa tour

Newly-appointed New Zealand Rugby chief executive Steve Lancaster has reiterated the organisation's stance on the eligibility of overseas players and confirmed that Toshiba’s Richie Mo’unga will not be available for selection this summer.

Back-to-back League One winner and MVP Mo’unga, 31, is in the final month of his three-year contract with Todd Blackadder’s Toshiba Brave Lupus and will return to New Zealand in June on an 18-month contract.

The contract, which was announced in August 2025, stipulated that the world-renowned playmaker would be required to play for Canterbury in the NPC this summer before he becomes eligible for the All Blacks from October.

However, with the appointment of Kobe Steelers head coach Dave Rennie as Scott Robertson’s successor and his openness – during his first press conference - in wanting to pick Mo’unga and League One’s top try scorer Brodie Retallick, there had been speculation that NZR could soften their stance on eligibility.

Lancaster told Newstalk ZB’s Jason Pine on Weekend Sport that the NZR board has not been asked to make an exemption for the seven-time Super Rugby winner to be available to Rennie for the Nations Championship and Greatest Rivalry Tour to South Africa.

“We haven’t asked the board to relax that policy around Richie,” Lancaster told Newstalk.

“We think the policy works for us. It keeps our best players in New Zealand playing in our competitions.”