Ma’a Nonu and Hurricanes Will Both Benefit from Inside Centre’s Return

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: July 24, 2014

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It has been a tough few years for Ma'a Nonu. While his All Blacks form has never really dipped, he has copped all sorts of criticism for his below-par performances at Super Rugby level.

In 2015 he will return home to the Hurricanes, where he will look to put the nightmares of the past four seasons behind him. The move should be a good one for both Nonu and his new team, provided Nonu's head stays in the right place.

There has not been a player in New Zealand rugby whose game has received more attention in recent years than Nonu. How can he be so brilliant for the All Blacks but so underwhelming at the level below?

With the Hurricanes in 2011, Blues in 2012 and Highlanders in 2013, he entered each season on a team with high hopes. All were huge disappointments, and Nonu's form did not help. He offered little on attack, and his discipline was not flash either.



Of course, there was a lot more wrong at these three teams than just Nonu. None looked polished, and all appeared to lack the desire to gain a physical edge. The unfortunate thing for Nonu was that he was the common denominator in each of these three teams.

In 2014 he returned to the Blues after arguably the worst season of his career at the Highlanders. His form has been better but inconsistent. At times he has been the player many consider to be the best inside centre in the world. At others, he has been error-prone and struggled to make an impact.

A return home in 2015 will mark the fourth season in a row where he has donned a different jersey to the one before.

But this time there is every chance it could work out.

Not only could Nonu do with a fresh start, the Hurricanes need a quality inside centre.

This year the Hurricanes remained on the fringe of the playoffs for the entire season. They had a good all-round team, hard-working tight five, a bruising loose forward trio and a lethal back...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Rugby Union

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