47 MA’A NONU SIGNS WITH THE BLUES
You couldn’t make this up…Ma’a Nonu, back at the Blues…for a third time. But it has happened.
The process began at the end of May when Toulon announced that Nonu was leaving the club for family reasons. He had been in talks to extend his contract in France but quite suddenly that was o the table and he was a free agent.
So naturally speculation began that he was heading home and that the Chiefs were looking to sign him.
They were in the market for midfielders as Charlie Ngatai and Johnny Fa’auli were leaving. Plus Chiefs coach Colin Cooper had previously been with the Hurricanes and was the man who brought Nonu into Super Rugby back in 2003.
But the speculation was only half right as it was the Blues who were leading the chase. Nonu was tempted there by his former mentor Tana Umaga and by the presence of his good friend Sonny Bill Williams.
That and the prospect of being able to guide a young, talented Blues backline appealed to Nonu so in mid-September, despite all his troubled history with the club, it was announced the former All Black was coming to Auckland for a third stint.