Nonu opens new chapter
Ma’a Nonu has got the latest chapter of his career as a Blues player off to an accomplished, if not overwhelming start.
After a five-year gap, Nonu was back in Blues colours again last night and once more tried to be the difference.
In his previous two stints in 2012 and 2014 he didn’t do that, but to be fair to him, the Blues were so dreadful in each of those seasons, no-one could have salvaged them.
At the age of 36 time is against him in this latest stint in Auckland, but it is worth remembering Frank Bunce was still producing the goods for the Chiefs at that age.
Nonu started conservatively, distributing the ball outside him twice and taking it up for a small gain with his first three touches.
In the sixth minute he flicked a nice pass inside to Akira Ioane which changed the angle of attack and it’s this sort of stuff where he can make the biggest impact.
It’s Nonu’s vision that comes from 16 years at this level that can make him the key to unlocking their promising backline.
Nonu impressed on defence too. He destroyed Richie Mo’unga when he started a run close to the Blues line midway through the first half and after the Crusaders’ first try he wrapped up a rampaging Jordan Taufua and forced him into touch.
A minute before the break he had one of his most disappointing moments of the game when he threw a ball behind Akira Ioane when it looked like the Blues were going to have numbers out the left for an overlap.
Overall it was a solid first 40 minutes and a promising return to Super Rugby.
For the last half hour Nonu teamed up in the midfield with Sonny Bill Williams. However, the pairing never got a chance to make much of an impression as most of the second half was dominated by a battle between the two team’s scrums.
Nonu would hang back in a deep position, allowing himself to build up speed, waiting for the ball to come his way, but that rarely happened and when it did, passing out wide to Michael Collins was invariably the best option.
There will be surely more to come from Nonu over the season, particularly once Williams is up to game speed and they get that combination clicking.
It’s only a matter of time before Nonu is on the end of a Williams offload and then making big runs.