Mo'unga reveals the reason for his 'life-changing' move overseas

All Blacks flyhalf Richie Mo’unga has opened up about his stunning decision to leave New Zealand rugby behind after next year’s World Cup.

Mo’unga will go down in Super Rugby history as one of the greatest first-fives in Crusaders history – even rivalling the legacy of legendary No. 10 Dan Carter.

The 28-year-old has led the champion club to six Super Rugby titles throughout his decorated career in red and black, and is coming off a career-best season in the famous All Blacks jersey.

But the star pivot is set to embark on a new journey following next year’s World Cup in France, after signing a deal with Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo.

Mo’unga has reportedly inked a three-year deal with the Japanese club, and will be ineligible to play Test rugby during that span.

As he prepares to farewell New Zealand rugby in less than a year, Mo’unga has spoken about the importance of putting his family first.

“It’s a touchy thing when people are going overseas but you can’t hide away from the fact it’s life-changing for me and my family,” Mo’unga told the New Zealand Herald.

“My job as a father and a husband is to provide for my family and put them first in decision. That’s basically what I’m doing.”

After making his debut in the coveted red jersey in early 2016, Mo’unga quickly cemented his place in the starting line-up.

Following the footsteps of giants including the likes of Dan Carter and Andrew Mehrtens, Mo’unga proved himself as a worthy custodian of the famous No. 10 jersey.

The Christchurch-born flyhalf has played 94 times for the champion club, and is expected to reach a century of appearances this season.

“The Crusaders have been my life forever, even before I joined the team it was life, dreaming of being part of the family,” he said.

“Looking back at my time with the team since 2015, it makes me so grateful to be part of such a franchise, part of some really awesome memories, some great achievements and great moments, and to just meet some really special people.

“My energy going into this season is no different to any other, I’m here to give my everything.

“I still want to perform, to do the best for the Crusaders, our members and our fans. There’s still a heck of a job to do before I leave.”

The Crusaders have achieved unrivalled success since Super Rugby was introduced, but the legacy of the rugby-mad region goes back even further.

Canterbury have excelled at the provincial level for quite some time; hundreds of players have gone on to higher honours with the All Blacks.

But despite the history of success in the region, the Crusaders wouldn’t have been the same team without Mo’unga.

Super coach Scott Robertson described the 44-cap All Black as “one of the most influential Super Rugby players ever.”

“If there’s one player that continues to leave their mark on this team, that’d be Richie Mo’unga,” Robertson said.

“Through his performances in the biggest games, the biggest moments – he stood up, which Crusaders do. He’s a special man, a local boy, pride of the community, and there’s no doubt about it – Richie can play.

“When Richie is on, the team is on. He brings out the best from all the players. For me, he is one of the most influential Super Rugby players ever – how he plays the game, his ability to score points consistently year after year in those crucial moments.

“The biggest thing for me with Richie is how much he cares about the team and the club, about the players he plays with and the people he plays for.

“He means a lot to the Crusaders and we wish him all the best. There’ll be a time to properly say goodbye to him at the end of the season, but for now we’re all focused on the job in front of us.”