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Two-time RWC winner Ma’a Nonu names All Blacks who would thrive in SVNS
Two-time Rugby World Cup-winning All Black Ma’a Nonu was quick to name a few current New Zealand internationals who could hypothetically make a successful switch to the SVNS Series.
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On the final day at SVNS LAX at Dignity Health Sports Park earlier this month, Nonu watched on as the world’s best rugby sevens talent went head-to-head in decisive knockout fixtures.
Nonu’s countrywomen the Black Ferns Sevens went on to win their second leg of the season in Los Angeles, while Antoine Dupont helped inspire France’s drought-breaking run to glory.
Dupont, who is a former World Rugby 15s Player of the Year, made the official dream team on debut in Vancouver and made the selection again a week later in the City of Angels.
While the move between 15s and sevens is no easy feat, New Zealand rugby great Ma’a Nonu believes a number of current All Blacks could make the switch and thrive.
“I could name a few names,” Nonu told RugbyPass & SVNS Series in LA.
“Will Jordan would be a good player, Mark Tele’a as well. Ardie Savea would be a great sevens player – he did play sevens as well, and Rieko Ioane.
“There’s a handful of them.”
Before winning back-to-back World Cups with the All Blacks in 2011 and 2015, Nonu entered the fray of rugby sevens as a youngster on the rise in 2004.
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20 years later, at the age of 41, Nonu is still playing the sport he loves with San Diego Legion in the United States’ Major League Rugby competition.
But after reflecting on his own days in sevens, the Test centurion explained how rugby’s shorter format can help players improve before returning to the more traditional 15s game.
“In 2004 they had an All Blacks trial but I wasn’t allowed to play it because I wasn’t actually fit enough to play,” Nonu explained.
“I got sent to the sevens with Gordan Tietjens back in the day and jumped on the circuit for the last round in Bordeaux and in England.
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“It was a tough month training. I think I was weighing in at about 105 (kilograms) and then once I got on the circuit I was 99kgs. Such a great experience.
“You’ve seen a lot of sevens players come through the system in sevens and then obviously play for the All Blacks.
“I guess it’s easier really because you get your fitness up. Sevens is an elusive game and it’s not long,” he added.
“Other than that, when you start playing 15s, especially at Super Rugby or international, you’ve got to try and cement your spot as a specialist in a position.”
The All Blacks Sevens are currently sixth on the SVNS Series standings as the circuit prepares for the fifth leg of the campaign in just a couple of weeks’ time.
“I was hoping my All Blacks boys would be here in the final in the end but all the teams are getting better and better,” Nonu said in LA.
For the last time at Hong Kong Stadium, the SVNS Series will head to one of the spiritual homes of the sport from April 5 to 7. Tickets for the Hong Kong Sevens can be bought HERE.
Comments on RugbyPass
Big empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
34 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
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