Star first-five set to miss out on AUNZ selection with injury concern

Just over two weeks after another club title for 56-Test All Black Richie Mo’unga, rumours are circulating regarding selection for the invitational AUNZ side, who will take on the British and Irish Lions ahead of their first Test against the Wallabies.

Mo’unga had been talked about as one of the options for the side, but according to the Sydney Morning Herald, Mo’unga’s agent, Cameron McIntyre, confirmed that the first-five hasn’t recovered from a hand injury that he picked up during the last couple of games in Japan.

Mo’unga played the final for his Toshiba Brave Lupus side against the Kubota Spears despite his broken hand, but has supposedly withdrawn from talks with Rugby Australia regarding the match in Adelaide on Saturday the 12th of July.

Previously, in an interview with rugbyjp.com, Mo’unga expressed his interest in playing for the Les Kiss-coached side, admitting he has missed the big game setting.

“I miss the big Test match setting, the big arenas, this (AUNZ game) will be the closest I’ll get to it while I’m in Japan,” Mo’unga told rugbyjp.com.

The 31-year-old first-five isn’t the only big name player to have withdrawn from possible selection in recent weeks, after former Wallabies loose forward and captain Michael Hooper pulled out of the race.

Hooper, who played 125 Test matches for the Wallabies, told Stan Sport’s Inside Line podcast that he would have enjoyed a Barbarians-style team play against the British and Irish Lions.

“I would have loved to have seen it be an Australian New Zealand Barbarians team…the trouble is trying to make it all work,” Hooper said on Stan Sport’s Inside Line Podcast.

“I mentioned around the length and the layover between games for some people, some guys are coming to the back end of the season.

“Maybe they don’t want to keep training for another eight weeks because it’s going to be a daunting task.”