Ma'a Nonu named to face All Blacks in Sharks debut

In one of the more unlikely twists in rugby history, New Zealand legend Ma’a Nonu has been named to square off with the All Blacks in his Sharks debut next week.

The midweek fixture is the second of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour, and will pit one of New Zealand’s all-time greats against the team he played 103 Tests for and won two Rugby World Cups with, as Nonu enters his 25th season as a professional rugby player.

The remarkable story comes just days after Nonu joined the club in person, having signed in a “high-performance mentorship” capacity in late July. The 44-year-old will come off the bench, with Murray Koster named to start at inside centre and rising star Jurenzo Julius in the No.13 jersey.

Elsewhere in the team, newly capped flyhalf Vusi Mayo has been named to lead the team at 10 and 18-year-old sensation Zekhethelo Siyaya is set to start at fullback. Nick Hatton will captain a team with a distinctly next-generation edge to it, looking to create a slice of history after the Stormers ran the New Zealand team close in the tour’s opening match in Cape Town.

Following that match, All Blacks captain Patrick Tuipulotu was asked for his reaction to Nonu being selected in the Sharks’ team.

“I didn’t expect him to be named, but am certainly looking forward to it,” the lock grinned. “A lot of the boys know him and are close to him. It’s no secret how long he’s played; his career’s been this long because he’s a true professional of the game, and he’s been blessed to keep playing.

“I think it’ll be quite a spectacle to see him come up against us. Might catch up with him midweek and give him a jab or two.”

Fixture

Rugby Union Hybrid Friendlies

Sharks

10:00

11 Aug 26

New Zealand

All Stats and Data

Sharks team to play the All Blacks

1. Nemo Roelofse
2. Eduan Swart
3. Vincent Koch
4. Hendre Stassen
5. Emile van Heerden
6. Phepsi Buthelezi
7. Manu Tshituka
8. Nick Hatton (Captain)
9. Bradley Davids
10. Vusi Moyo
11. Litelihle Bester
12. Murray Koster
13. Jurenzo Julius
14. Donovan Don
15. Zekhethelo Siyaya

Reserves

16. Liam van Wyk
17. Rambo Kubekha
18. Simphiwe Ngobese
19. Vincent Tshituka
20. Matt Romao
21. Ivan van Zyl
22. Luan Giliomee
23. Ma’a Nonu