Aisle be Back: Richie’s return, All Blacks off to Argentina and the NPC second round

• By Kevin McCarthy

Moses apparently had ten commandments. What’s less known is that he started off with 14 or 15, until his editor intervened and told him that in a world of doom scrolling, less would work better than more.

As it is in the bible, so it will prove in the rules around Richie Mo’unga’s return.

If you believe that the NZR has gone to all the trouble of getting  Mo’unga back to play for 18 months and the 2027 world cup, then you are indeed divinely trusting.

He will apparently play the NPC – while the All Blacks are trekking across the veldt high and low next year on the epic of a proper tour of South Africa.

Scott Robertson will have made a pinky promise that he won’t try to get his main man, his quarterback, back in the saddle before World Cup year, when he will be warmed up with a few runs against lesser opposition.

I, however, am going to make the bold prediction that somewhere on the hard grounds of the Republic, someone is going to develop an injury. It could be in the backs.

And then Robertson will have to pick sudden emergency cover. Probably some rookie first five from the Heartland competition. Or whathisname, the old fella plying his trade for Canterbury. If only someone had his cell phone number.

Alternatively, well before then, sanity may prevail, and the rules will be “enhanced” to let Richie join the real deal. We could even steal from the apartheid playbook and declare he is on the trip as an Honorary All Black.

If I’m wrong, I am sure he will still have plenty of time to get up to speed with test rugby in the early 2027, just not against the gold standard Boks.

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Talking still of test rugby, the All Blacks will get their first decent trial by fire against Argentina in the two opening tests of the Rugby Championship.

While the unbeaten record went a few years ago, I still remember the first time it was under serious threat.  December 2001, at River Plate stadium – where one Scott Razor Robertson scored an injury time try to get the All Blacks home against Argentina.

Talk about lucky. And the All Blacks remain unbeaten in Argentina – meaning that’s a record sure to go at some point, maybe soon.

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Ouch. The Wellington Lions had a spanking from the Cantabs – at home.

Even you ducked out at the 60^th minute mark, you’d have not expected a flurry of tries in what had been a disjointed second half.

But suddenly the game was gone.

The Lions will know what to do better, with a road victory against Waikato now a bit of an early season necessity.

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The Lions play Waikato in Hamilton in their second round game, a side featuring former Wellingtonian Lima Sopoaga and another, Ross Filipo, as coach, that ran down Auckland in their season opener last week.

Kick-off on Saturday afternoon is 2.05pm.