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'I want to be an All Black again' - Returning All Blacks legend ready for Super Rugby

By Online Editors
Ma'a Nonu. (Photo / Getty Images)

Ma’a Nonu wants to be an All Black again.

That was the message the two-time World Cup-winner had as he fronted the media for the first time yesterday since returning to New Zealand following a three-season spell with French club Toulon.

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With 103 test caps to his name and establishing himself as one of the greatest All Blacks and midfielders of all time, Nonu’s international ambitions comes as a surprise given he has nothing left to prove following a glittering 12-year career with the All Blacks.

However, he remains motivated to make an unlikely return to the test arena after a four-year hiatus, with a series of strong Super Rugby performances the first hurdle he needs to overcome if he is to achieve his goal.

“I think it’s there on everyone’s minds,” he said when asked about his prospective return to the All Blacks.

“For me it’s trying to make the Blues team first, so one step at a time.”

Returning to the Blues for a third stint after appearing for the Auckland-based franchise in 2012 and 2014, Nonu looks set on reigniting his partnership with long-time friend and 51-test star Sonny Bill Williams in the midfield.

Standing in their way of resuming that partnership, though, are the youthful trio of Tanielu Tele’a, former Chiefs prospect Levi Aumua, and Auckland skipper TJ Faiane.

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Regardless of who he plays alongside in the middle of the park, Nonu is intent on proving his worth in Super Rugby.

Prior to his departure for France, Nonu spent a few years playing well below his potential for a number of franchises following his axing from the Hurricanes in 2011.

Both largely unsuccessful spells at the Blues sandwiched a dismal campaign with the Highlanders in 2013, and it wasn’t until he rejoined the Hurricanes in 2015 where he re-discovered his sparkling form at Super Rugby level.

Even then, he could not muster maiden title, coming up short both then and nine years beforehand in 2006.

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“Yeah, I haven’t won a Super Rugby title before, have come up short twice, and played in a lot of semifinals for the Hurricanes,” he said.

“It’s another driver this year.”

After time away in the Top 14 and in the European Champions Cup, Nonu described his return to Super Rugby as “surreal”, but was adamant that he isn’t ready to hang the boots up just yet.

“There are a lot of young players playing, and a lot of great players playing, and I’m stoked to be running around,” he said.

“I haven’t thought about stopping. Hopefully, I can still play at this level and that’s the challenge I’m looking forward to.”

Nonu said he felt as though his experience playing in the physically taxing domestic and European competitions will make him a wiser player as he approaches the Blues’ season-opener against the Crusaders at Eden Park in Auckland this Saturday.

“Hopefully I’ve still got the wisdom upstairs and the physicality as well to play Super Rugby because it’s really intense,” he said.

“The Top 14 and Champions Cup is a brutal, brutal competition in Europe, so I’ve learned a few things about playing week-in, week-out.”

Nonu’s exit from Toulon was one that surprised given the murky details surrounding its announcement.

A vague post on his Instagram in May last year detailed that the veteran wanted to step away from the game to “spend time with family” and “assess options for the future”.

He confirmed yesterday that his family played a significant factor in returning to New Zealand and signing with the Blues.

“Family has always been a priority, so coming home it was a big factor. We were always going to come back to New Zealand. We missed it here, we missed family and I wanted to put my kids through school here as well.”

Nonu also attributed former teammate, mentor and new defence coach Tana Umaga in playing an important role in his return to Auckland, as did new head coach and another former teammate Leon MacDonald.

“Leon has brought a high standard into our environment and created that culture where we train to the best, we expect the best from each other and we work for each other,” he said.

Nonu’s physical condition has been widely scrutinised by New Zealand media since checking in for Blues pre-season training in November, with many reports stating that the 36-year-old is in career-best shape.

“I guess it’s what you put in your mouth,” he said of his secret behind staying in prime condition.

“[The body] hasn’t always been in good shape but I’ve learned with experience about my body and my mind.

“I’m still trying to achieve more goals and it’s the lifestyle you live if you want to play professional sport.”

And as for Nonu’s plans to attend a fourth World Cup in Japan later this year?

“All I’m thinking about is lunch right now and this game this week, so I can’t really tell you,” he said.

The Blues will name their side for Saturday’s clash against the Crusaders tomorrow, with Nonu widely expected to start following an impressive pre-season outing against the Hurricanes in Mangatainoka last week.

In other news:

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Jon 3 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

35 Go to comments
j
john 5 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

28 Go to comments
A
Adrian 7 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

28 Go to comments
T
Trevor 10 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
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