Rugby: Clash of the 10s - Can Damian McKenzie hold off Richie Mo'unga?

Chiefs first-five Damian McKenzie. Photo / Photosport

It's a quirk of the Super Rugby draw that, straight after Richie Mo'unga impressed so much against All Blacks No10 rival Beauden Barrett in Christchurch, he gets the chance to do so again against Damian McKenzie in Hamilton, a short drive from Auckland, the venue for next Saturday's first test against France.

This clash could be a highlight in a weekend full of them, although the Highlanders v Hurricanes and Chiefs v Crusaders derbies will likely send All Blacks coach Steve Hansen's blood pressure rising a week out from the first test at Eden Park given his already lengthy casualty list.

In Dunedin tonight the England-bound Lima Sopoaga, previously the All Blacks' back-up first-five, faces Barrett, Waisake Naholo comes up against the in-form Ben Lam, who wasn't included in the All Blacks squad, and so on.

At Waikato Stadium tomorrow, Chiefs midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown, an All Black since 2016, comes up against Crusader Jack Goodhue who is uncapped but on a serious rise, but perhaps the most interesting is the one between Mo'unga, the Crusader with an uncanny ability to control a game – especially in wet conditions – and livewire McKenzie, the ultimate "risk and reward" player, to borrow a Hansen phrase.

It won't be a deal-breaker as far as selection for Eden Park is concerned, but McKenzie's form at the still relatively unfamiliar position of first-five, and that of Mo'unga, who outshone Barrett in the Crusaders victory at AMI Stadium last weekend, will be instructive.

The All Blacks coaches will likely take a relatively conservative attitude into next weekend because of the amount of injuries they have already suffered – including concussions for Sam Whitelock and Ryan Crotty, both ruled out for the Crusaders again – and the need to hit the ground running against the French.

Combinations are vital which is likely to mean McKenzie will get a bench place behind No10 Barrett for the first test at least.

Mo'unga, a specialist No10 who proved he can cut it with the best of them when shining for the Barbarians against the All Blacks at Twickenham last November, has the mindset and running game to go to the next level but might have to bide his time because of the fact McKenzie can cover fullback too and has an electricity off the reserves bench that is undeniable.

Richie Mo'unga of the Crusaders. Photo / Photosport

Sometimes his greatest strength – unpredictability – can be his greatest weakness, however, and it was interesting to note McKenzie being singled out by Hansen at training during the Amazon Prime Video documentary All or Nothing: New Zealand All Blacks, which was released today.

"Damian, that's bullshit – give us 20 push-ups if you're going to throw the ball away again like that," Hansen tells McKenzie, whose unfortunate first act when starting at fullback in the Bledisloe Cup test against Australia in Dunedin last year was to throw a wide pass which was intercepted for a try by Israel Folau.

Another strength of Mo'unga's is his accurate kicking out of hand - especially from penalties as he tries to find the corner to set up a lineout maul from which the Crusaders generally get dividends.

Rain is expected again tomorrow which will make both team's kicking strategies even more important and it will be up to McKenzie, whose running game in broken play is virtually second to none, to lead the Chiefs here.