Blues confirm Nonu signing

All Blacks legend Ma’a Nonu is realigning with Tana Umaga and the Blues for the 2019 Super Rugby season.

The 36-year-old All Blacks midfield legend has signed a one-year deal to play for Umaga’s Blues next year.

Nonu played two seasons for the Blues in 2012 and 2014, though neither were what might be termed a roaring success.

He played most of his New Zealand

doing what I love as well,’’ Crotty said of his family.

That’s largely as a result, he added, of how thorough the process around getting back on the field is. career with the Hurricanes, although he also turned out for the Highlanders in 2013.

Nonu played 103 tests for the All Blacks, with his last appearance in the World Cup final victory of 2015. He played alongside Umaga for both the Hurricanes and All Blacks.

The blockbusting midfielder ended a three-year career with Toulon earlier this year, citing ‘‘personal reasons’’.

‘‘There’s no stone left unturned around head injuries these days, so the diligence around gives you confidence.’’

Crotty is an asset to the All Blacks and returns to an area of the field that is among the team’s more competitive. Sonny Bill Williams has had to drop off the bench, due to tonsilitis, and Ngani Laumape picked up a knee injury last week, but that still leaves accomplished performers in Crotty, LienertBrown and Jack Goodhue.

‘‘The amount of time we’re putting into each other [as a midfield pod] and how we’re working together, you’ve seen Jack playing really well, Ngani’s taken his opportunity really, really well too and I think that’s a product of how hard the group works together.

‘‘With regards to Alby [Lienert-Brown] . . . he’s a really switched-on young man. Better people make better rugby players and I think that’s the case with Anton.’’