Overview
- Mo'unga came off the bench in the 51st minute and scored a sniping try from near scrumhalf in the 77th minute to clinch Canterbury’s 38-31 win over Auckland.
- He struggled early with a spilled high ball and a missed conversion but converted his own late try to seal the victory.
- By taking the field in the NPC opener, Mo'unga — who last played provincial rugby in 2020 — officially regained eligibility for All Blacks selection.
- All Blacks coach Dave Rennie has said Mo'unga is an option to be called into the squad if a No.10 is injured, so his return could lead to a late international call-up.
- The match was staged at One New Zealand Stadium in front of about 20,000 supporters and capped the return of the 32-year-old after three seasons in Japan and recovery from a calf injury.