Early return talks are ongoing for Richie Mo'unga

• Mo’unga won Japan Rugby League One with Toshiba in his first season.
• Crusaders icon signed three-year deal in Japan.
• Early return a possibility after Scott Robertson’s overtures.

Richie Mo’unga says his days in the All Blacks jersey are far from finished and he is weighing up an early return to New Zealand from his three-year contract in Japan.

Mo’unga, 30, will be in Dunedin this weekend to carry out some promotional work on board a specially branded “Richies Bus” ferrying fans from a sports bar in Dunedin to Forsyth Barr Stadium.

He will watch Saturday’s test against England as a fan, but Mo’unga told Stuff on Thursday that the start of the All Blacks’ season had also stirred his desire to put on the black jersey again.

“I signed for three years with Toshiba and my intentions were, ‘Yep, I'm going do the three years’,” Mo’unga said.

“[But] obviously with ‘Razor’ [All Blacks coach Scott Robertson] coming along and saying he'd love to have me back home, it's just given me another opportunity to think about where I'm at with my footy.

“I obviously had a really successful year in my first year and I’m trying to weigh up the options of what would be best for my family, but also what would be best for my footy as well.

“So, those conversations are still happening and to be honest there'll be no rush before we all come to a decision.”

Richie Mo'unga is eyeing a return to the All Blacks jersey.
CHRIS HYDE / GETTY IMAGES

Mo’unga won the Japanese Rugby League One championship with Toshiba Brave Lupus in his first season, an accomplishment that maintained his incredible record of collecting titles no matter where he plays, and All Blacks and Crusaders would clearly benefit from having him back.

Mo’unga said he had relished his first year in Japan, on and off the field, but the All Blacks remained prominent in his thinking.

“I am loving my time in Japan. It's awesome,” he said.

“But then for the All Blacks who have just been named, you get a bit of FOMO and you start to wonder what it would be like if you were in the team playing against England this weekend.

“I'm far from finished with my footy. I feel like I'm in my prime, so having that thought of not being able to play for the best team in your country is really hard to take, but it's the decision I made heading over to Japan.

“I knew that these are the things that I would have to sacrifice in order to get those experiences with my family and to be refreshed with my footy.

“So it's all part of the greater plan.”

NZ Rugby has already declared publicly that it would love get Mo’unga back early, although the discussions are clearly sensitive.

The sooner the better would suit Robertson, but even if Mo’unga didn’t return until completing a second season in Japan he could be available for the All Blacks as early as July next year, in time for the three-test series against France and with plenty of time to find his groove again before the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

It is clearly a difficult decision for Mo’unga, who stressed that he was loving the ability to spend more time with his family in Japan, with his children immersed in the Japanese culture at kindergarten.