The whiteboard session that proved Ma'a Nonu as an All Blacks great
As one of the best players ever to play rugby, everyone knows about the greatness of former All Blacks midfielder Ma’a Nonu on the field.
Few, however, know the impact he made off the park, but New Zealand broadcaster Sky Sport has revealed a story that highlights just how influential Nonu was as an All Black.
Speaking on The Breakdown as part of Sky Sport‘s ongoing quest, with the help of the Kiwi public, to uncover the Greatest All Blacks XV of all-time, commentator Ken Laban shared an anecdote he heard from ex-All Blacks coach Wayne Smith to help state his case for Nonu as New Zealand’s best-ever No 12.
Laban said that during Smith’s time on the All Blacks coaching staff, he would hold whiteboard meetings prior to All Blacks training sessions to help detail what the team would work on during their practice run.
However, according to Laban, there was a period where Smith felt disrespected by Nonu’s lack of concentration during some of the whiteboard sessions.
Concerned by Nonu’s level of engagement, Smith called on the 103-test veteran to come to the front of the room during one whiteboard meeting and asked him what he would do differently to what Smith outlined.
Laban said that Smith was left in awe by Nonu’s response and the impact it had on his All Blacks teammates.
“Wayne Smith shared a lovely Ma’a Nonu story with me a few years ago,” Laban told long-serving Sky Sports commentator Grant Nisbett.
“When the All Blacks would prepare for their training sessions, he would do a whiteboard session to outline what they were going to do, then the boys would have an understanding of exactly what it was that they would then go out and do.
“Smithy was telling me there was this period in the All Blacks where he didn’t feel that Ma’a was engaging in any way with the process.
“‘He would sit there, looking out the window, not really concentrating, and every time I’d ask him a question, he would just [say], ‘Yeah, whatever bro, sweet’.’
“Smithy was telling me, ‘I put a lot of time into these sessions, and I was starting to get a little bit conscious that my work, my integrity was being disrespected by Ma’a.
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“‘One of the meetings, I said, ‘Ma’a, why don’t you come to the front and tell us what you think we should do’, after I’d already explained.
“‘So, Ma’a comes from the back of the room to the whiteboard, gets the duster, rubs off this, this this, this and this, add this, this, this, and he’d improved the skills we were going to do that day by 100 per cent’.
“‘He said that he’d always felt that way, but out of respect for me, he never said anything. The other thing I noticed was that when Ma’a spoke, everybody in the room listened.’
“He [Smith] said, ‘Everything that you’d read about him statistically, the least-tackled second five of all-time, the hardest player to mark, the most dominant player in that position’, so, yeah, 100 per cent, Ma’a Nonu, No 12.”
Laban was one of four experts on The Breakdown‘s panel called on to debate which players deserved to be included in New Zealand’s Greatest XV, with the others being Nisbett, veteran NZME journalist Phil Gifford and Sky Sports commentator Rikki Swannell.
Gifford and Swannell agreed with Laban in his verdict that Nonu is the best-ever No 12 to have played for the All Blacks as they opted for the two-time World Cup-winner over the likes of Bill Osborne, Walter Little and Warwick Taylor.
“I am pretty set that Ma’a Nonu is my second five. I think he showed enormous resilience. I think as he grew as a person, he grew as a player,” Swannell said.
She added that Nonu’s value has been emphasised since his retirement from international rugby as the All Blacks have battled to find a long-term replacement in recent years.
“Since Ma’a Nonu has no longer been an All Black, we haven’t found that natural successor. There’s been some very good players, and there are some going around at the moment – [Jack] Goodhue, [Anton] Lienert-Brown, [Ryan Crotty], Sonny Bill Williams – but nobody has cemented that spot quite like Ma’a Nonu did.”
Gifford echoed the sentiments of Laban and Swannell as he said that, while he particularly enjoyed Little as an All Black between 1990 and 1998, he couldn’t overlook the exploits and longevity of Nonu.
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“I agree entirely. The panel’s as one on this, I think. The one thing I’d say about Ma’a Nonu is I can’t think of a single All Black whose career path, to me, has got better and better and better and better,” Gifford told The Breakdown.
“By the time he hit the 2015 Rugby World Cup, to me, he patently was an all-time great with whatever team he was playing for. The best All Blacks second five I’ve ever seen.
“Somebody may come along that’s as good as him, but it’s hard for me to picture someone being better than him.”
The panel deliberated over who should partner Nonu in the midfield of New Zealand’s Greatest XV, with the candidates being Bruce Robertson, Joe Stanley, Tana Umaga and Conrad Smith.
Despite Smith being Nonu’s long-term midfield partner throughout their careers with the All Blacks, Hurricanes and Wellington, none of the panel selected the former 94-test star as their pick at centre.
Instead, Laban and Gifford both backed Robertson, the 34-test All Black who played for New Zealand between 1972 and 1981.
Gifford said that while there were some serious contenders to fill the No 13 jersey, Robertson punched above his weight during his time in the All Blacks.
“In 1972, the Auckland Star sent me out to cover a game at Counties. I don’t remember who they were playing against, and there was this kid with the skinniest legs I’ve ever seen on a rugby player playing in the 13 jersey for Counties called Bruce Robertson,” Gifford told The Breakdown.
“I just sat on the press bench almost with my jaw gaping. That’s how brilliant this kid was.
“He was a kid from Hastings, he was at teachers’ college at the time, Bruce Robertson, and Barry Bracewell, the Counties selector, had seen him playing fullback for the Ardmore team, plucked him out of the side, put him into the Counties team in 1971.
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“The next year, Bruce Robertson was an All Black, still only about 20 or 21, and went onto greatness.
“I’ve never seen a centre – and Joe Stanley would be close to it, Buncey [Frank Bunce] had other skills but possibly not this one quite as much, Conrad Smith had these skills – but Bruce Robertson putting a winger into space was just a thing of absolute beauty.
“He was also a damn good defender for a guy that was never a big, husky guy, and he also was so stunningly quick that if a winger wasn’t in a position and Bruce Robertson decided to run, there was a damn good chance he’d score the try himself.”
Laban added: “My selection is Bruce Robertson as well. I remember him in the 70s. A player way ahead of his time.
“Tall, unbelievably skilful, his timing, his angled runs, his ability to cut in and then out, he’d run those lovely short balls off Bill Osborne, get in behind, draw and pass on the fullback, put the wing away, almost like clockwork.
“He was a beautiful player to watch. He was an elegant runner of the ball, a tremendous defender, as Phil has alluded to. Bruce Robertson would have played 120 tests in the modern era.”
Swannell, meanwhile, opted for Umaga, who she credited as an icon for her generation of New Zealanders for becoming the first Pasifika captain of the All Blacks.
Fans can vote for who they believe should be selected in the second row for the Greatest All Blacks XV via Facebook using the links below.
Second-Fives
Bill Osborne (16 tests from 1975-1982)
Walter Little (50 tests from 1990-1998)
Warwick Taylor (24 tests from 1983-1988)
Ma’a Nonu (103 tests from 2003-2015)
Vote here.
Centres
Bruce Robertson (34 tests from 1972-1981)
Joe Stanley (49 tests from 1986-1991)
Tana Umaga (74 tests from 1997-2005)
Conrad Smith (94 tests from 2004-2015)
Vote here.
All Blacks Greatest XV
1. Tony Woodcock (118 tests from 2002-2015)
2. Sean Fitzpatrick (92 tests from 1986-1997)
3. Ken Gray (24 tests from 1963-1969)
4. Brodie Retallick (84 tests from 2012-present)
5. Colin Meads (55 tests from 1957-1971)
6. Michael Jones (56 tests from 1986-1998)
7. Richie McCaw (148 tests from 2001-2015)
8. Zinzan Brooke (58 tests from 1987 to 1997)
9. Aaron Smith (101 tests from 2012-present)
10. Dan Carter (112 tests from 2003-2015)
11. N/A
12. N/A
13. N/A
14. N/A
15. N/A
Reserves:
16. N/A
17. N/A
18. N/A
19. N/A
20. N/A
21. N/A
22. N/A
23. N/A
Coach: N/A
Comments on RugbyPass
“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to comments