Richie Mo'unga

The two All Blacks will then join Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo, who are coached by ex-New Zealand captain Todd Blackadder, the Japanese club said today.

Under New Zealand Rugby rules, Mo'unga and Frizell, both 28, will not be eligible to play for the All Blacks while in Japan. The duo are set to join the club after next year's Rugby World Cup in France.

Frizell has made 25 appearances for the All Blacks since making his debut in 2018. He has also played 57 games for the Highlanders.

Five awards were presented throughout the evening, with the Rookie of the Year, Forward of the Year, Back of the Year and Player of the Year all decided by the Crusaders coaching group.

One further award, the Champion Crusader of the Year, is a peer-voted award recognising a player's overall contribution to the team environment both on and off the field.

21-year-old prop Tamaiti Williams was named Rookie of the Year following an impressive debut season for the club, while Crusaders vice-captains Codie Taylor and David Havili won Forward and Back of the Year, respectively.

So does All Blacks and Crusaders first five-eighth Richie Mo’unga, who owns a 10 per cent stake in the three-year-old Savabeel colt named after him.

Just not financially. He donates his share of winnings to Child Cancer Foundation, a charity close to his heart.

“I've been brought up around kids my whole life, and it's heartbreaking to see kids going through that, that have been dealt the shorthand. For me, it's a good opportunity to connect with them and do what I can to try and help them as much as possible,” Mo’unga said.

A group of players, including Bridge, are accused of making homophobic remarks to a group of men in a Cape Town restaurant.

All Blacks first five Richie Mo'unga is said to have spat beer on a woman and touched her inappropriately.

The alleged incidents - which have been denied by the players - occurred on the team's recent tour of South Africa.

The coach Scott Robertson has named both players to start against the Blues for Saturday's game and says the players are looking forward to their side of the story coming out.

Nine weeks after being bulldozed by Stormers prop Steve Kitshoff Mo'unga will return to the Crusaders lineup against the Rebels in Melbourne on Friday night.

Mo'unga said he knew immediately it was serious.

"I found myself looking for my teeth ....and if your jaw is in a funny position you know it's not good."

Mo'unga lost five kilogrammes in the first week of his injury but is now almost back to his playing weight of 88kg.

He admits getting his confidence back to make tackles has been a part of his recovery.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen on Thursday confirmed Mo'unga, called into the squad as injury cover ahead of Saturday night's third Bledisloe Cup test, would not return to Christchurch to play for the red and blacks. 

The All Blacks, who have opted to start Lima Sopoaga and for fullback Damian McKenzie to provide first-five cover in Beauden Barrett's concussion forced absence, indicated earlier in the week Mo'unga would be released if he didn't make the match-day 23.

The All Blacks face the Wallabies at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday, New Zealand having already won the trophy courtesy of their victories in Sydney and Dunedin in August.

And Crusaders fly-half Mo'unga could feature having been brought in as cover due to the head knock sustained by Beauden Barrett in the Rugby Championship finale with South Africa and Nehe Milner-Skudder's season-ending shoulder injury.

The Crusaders first five-eighth embarrassed the Chiefs winger when he dislodged the ball from his grasp in the 49th minute of the Super Rugby semifinal at Christchurch's AMI Stadium, forcing it to ping into the hands of Israel Dagg and guaranteeing him one of the easiest tries of his career.

Some commentators suggested Mo'unga, having failed in his first attempt to tackle Lowe a split-second earlier, had timed his second lunge to perfection because he instinctively knew his opponent was going to shape to kick off his powerful left foot.

Not exactly, admits Mo'unga.

The first five-eighth had surgery on Sunday for a fractured bone in his left hand. Mo'unga told team management it was sore after they held on for a 17-13 victory at AMI Stadium on Saturday night.

"He is recovering well and expected to require approximately six to eight weeks before returning to play," the team said in a press release on Sunday night.

It seems likely Marty McKenzie will take over from Mo'unga against the Highlanders in Dunedin on Saturday evening.