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.

Crusaders first-five Mo'unga got the nod at 10, while Hurricanes first-five Barrett starts at fullback for the Rugby Championship match at Westpac Stadium in Wellington on Saturday night.

Only Barrett, Ben Smith and Brodie Retallick have been retained in the starting XV which beat Argentina in Buenos Aires last weekend.

Smith moves to right wing to accommodate Barrett's switch to 15, while Retallick starts alongside Sam Whitelock at lock.

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.

Halfback Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi is set to make his Test debut off the bench, while winger Nehe Milner-Skudder returns to the Test side for the first time since October last year.

Milner-Skudder was injured in the All Blacks Test in Cape Town in last year's Rugby Championship and returns on the right wing.

As well as Mo'unga and Tahuriorangi, other back changes in the matchday 23 has TJ Perenara named to start at halfback and Ben Smith move back to fullback.

The eight-time champions look poised to make it nine following an authoritative semi-final display in Christchurch on Saturday.

The scoreline didn't reflect the dominance of the hosts at AMI Stadium, where they will host South Africa's Lions.

It was a 14th-straight win for the defending champion Crusaders, who have looked increasingly unbeatable during the second half of the season.

Playing with speed, power and accuracy, they scored four tries to two.

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.