All Blacks coach Dave Rennie said it’s a matter of when, not if, Richie Mo’unga plays test rugby again.

However, Rennie said the former test first five, who has joined the squad in South Africa as an injury replacement for midfielder Billy Proctor, won’t be in contention for next weekend’s first test against the Springboks in Johannesburg.

“He’s a player who’s good enough to apply pressure for selection at some stage. The thinking is that it wouldn’t be in the first test, but he might get game time against the Lions to start pushing his claim then.”

Rennie said Mo’unga was the obvious choice to replace Proctor and said the Canterbury first five will play test rugby again.

“We feel Richie’s the logical replacement because of the quality of the player,” Rennie said.

“I’m not sure when he’ll play test footy for us, but coming in now and spending time in the environment will accelerate that opportunity.

“We felt him coming in and immersing himself, getting his head around our structures and the detail within that would be really beneficial.”

Mo’unga has been impressive in his first few NPC games for Canterbury, scoring the winning try in their recent victory over Auckland and helping his side take the Ranfurly Shield off Otago. That has led to speculation about his place in the All Blacks side and whether he will usurp Ruben Love as the All Blacks first choice first five.

Rennie said Love is the incumbent test playmaker and was comfortable with Mo’unga joining the squad in South Africa.

“We’re really happy with how Ruben’s been going and Damian, who we’re predominantly using at 15 now, and with Beauden [Barrett] and even Josh [Jacomb], who’ll get an opportunity on the weekend to start.

“It’s about creating depth in those positions, and Richie brings a lot of experience, but he’s going to have to earn the right.”

Rennie said he talked with the four first fives in the squad about the decision to bring Mo’unga over from New Zealand and said the No 10 jersey was Love’s to lose.

“I spoke to them before I’d even spoken to Richie. I just want them to understand that, obviously, Richie has been signed back to New Zealand Rugby and my job as head coach is to pick the best players available.

“Even yesterday, Ruben was saying how good it would be to have him in, it’s a chance to learn, but at the moment, it’s been Ruben’s jersey and he’s going well, so we’re happy with that.”

Mo’unga wasn’t able to be selected for the tour initially due to New Zealand Rugby’s (NZR) eligibility rules, which meant he had to play domestic rugby in Aotearoa before being able to play for the national side.

Asked if the process could be simplified by making any player who signs with NZR eligible from the moment the put pen to paper, Rennie said that could help.

“I mean that would make it easy, but I think what they (NZR) wanted was Richie to sign a two-year deal. I guess he committed for 18 months, and if he’d signed for two years, then he would have been eligible from the start.”

Rennie said the eligibility rules, which only allow players currently playing in New Zealand to be selected for the All Blacks, will be reviewed in the near future.

“I guess, you know, all policies will have been looked at over the next wee while, but that was the criteria we’re dealing with.”

NZR’s new high performance director, Don Tricker, who was appointed in May, will be involved in any changes to the governing body’s eligibility rules, including any decision around opening up All Blacks selection to based players outside of New Zealand.

“Definitely Don and I have had conversations around what things looked like long-term, and so there’s a bit of work to be done around the possibility of picking players from overseas, but that’ll be a long process that will need to go through board approval.”

The All Blacks take on the Bulls in Pretoria on Sunday morning (NZT) before the first test against the Springboks in Johannesburg next weekend.

Rennie has again made multiple changes to the side from the team that thumped the Sharks 54-0 in Durban on Wednesday.

Josh Jacomb starts at first-five with Beauden Barrett at fullback, while hooker Codie Taylor was named to captain the team for the first time.

Props Xavier Numia and Tyrel Lomax will also play their first matches of the tour.

Six players from the team that beat the Sharks have been retained with lock Josh Lord, loose forward Wallace Sititi, halfbacks Kyle Preston and Cortez Ratima, midfielder Timoci Tavatavanawai and outside back Emoni Narawa getting a chance to push for a place in the test side.

As the final hit-out before the first test against the Springboks, Rennie said this looms as an important game.

“The Bulls have consistently been South Africa’s best franchise side, making the United Rugby Championship finals in four of the last five years. Loftus Versfeld is one of the most formidable rugby grounds in the world, so we are aware of the challenge in front of us and excited at what lies ahead.”