D'Arcy Waldegrave: On Dave Rennie's recall of Richie Mo'unga
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2011. World Cup. In NZ. First five eighth freight train derailment.
Dan Carter, Colin Slade, Aaron Cruden, Stephen Donald. Just saying.
Being an All Black is dangerous. Being an international rugby player is fraught. Playing against the biggest, fastest, toughest athletes rugby produces is just asking for a pass to the sick bay.
There are no guarantees around continuity of selection or form, nor avoidance of calamitous injury.
Dave Rennie knows this. His selection of Richie Mo'unga has raised an eyebrow or two considering the saturation of potential 10s within his South African tour squad.
There are points aplenty around Richie's recall to the national side:
It's a long path to the World Cup and with the pivot role being that of utmost import, having a stuffed quiver is essential. Richie's inclusion also gives him the best chance of learning the ropes of Rennie's way. Having a heady mix of experience and youth within creates a habitat rich with opportunity to lift and learn. This is a combined effort to take the playmaker role into rarified air, the space, if you can breathe, where World Cup winning sides are born. The combined rugby intelligence quota of Mo'unga, Love, Barrett, McKensie, and Jacomb provides a rich and fertile ground for the continued growth of this pivot role.
As Lucinda Williams sings, "Water the dirt; flowers last for you".
Gardener Rennie knows this.
He hasn't got long to plant his crop and reap what he's sown, so he's getting his seeds in deep now, and I know why.
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