NPC: Mo'unga scores match-winning try for Canterbury against Auckland
Richie Mo'unga made a successful return to New Zealand's NPC competition, scoring a match-winning try in the 78th minute to secure a 38-31 victory for Canterbury over Auckland. Despite some initial rustiness following his three-year stint in Japan, Mo'unga's late-game heroics proved decisive in the tightly contested match.
Why it matters
Mo'unga's return is significant for New Zealand rugby fans and the domestic NPC competition, as he is a high-profile All Black whose presence elevates the quality and interest of the provincial tournament.
Richie Mo'unga has scored the winning try for Canterbury in his first NPC match since 2020, with the defending champions beating Auckland 38-31.
Mo'unga, who has spent the last three years playing in Japan, came on as a replacement in the second half on Saturday night, and while he had a few awkward moments, he turned on the class to split the Auckland defence in the 78th minute, when the scores were deadlocked.
The first half was helter-skelter, with Canterbury starting off where they left off last season, with early dominance at the breakdown seeing them score two tries in the first 11 minutes.
But Auckland stormed back when the red-and-blacks made a couple of errors, leaving a hole in their lineout for Sam Hainsworth-Fa'aofo to score and then gifting an intercept to Xavier Tito-Harris.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in