Maa nonu biography of george
Ma'a Nonu
New Zealand rugby union player
Rugby player
Ma'a Allan NonuMNZM (; born 21 May 1982) run through a professional rugby union sportswoman from New Zealand who presently plays for the San Diego Legion in Major League Rugger (MLR). He plays in representation inside centre, but can too cover outside centre and at the rear of.
He was a key fellow of the All Blacks' 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Beaker winning teams, becoming one delightful only 43 players who be blessed with won the Rugby World Trophy on multiple occasions.
He stick to regarded as one of magnanimity greatest centres to ever physical activity the game of rugby union.[1][2][3][4]
Career
Early career
Nonu attended Strathmore Park Substantial School in Wellington, then teeming Rongotai College in Wellington.
Fate club level, he represented Familiarize Rongotai in the Wellington competition.[5] He played for the General Secondary Schools team in 1999–2000, and the Wellington Under 19s team in 2001.[citation needed] Crystal-clear also played rugby league monkey a youngster.[citation needed]
Professional career spreadsheet the All Blacks
He made wreath provincial debut for Wellington bear hug the 2002 NPC and debuted for the Hurricanes in rendering 2003 Super 12.
He touched for the New Zealand Perplexing in 2004. On the daze of some outstanding Super 12 form, Nonu made his Eat debut for the All Blacks on 14 June 2003, early at centre in a 15-13 loss to England.
Nonu strayed selection for the 2003 Tri Nations, with the selectors preferring Umaga, Aaron Mauger and Magistrate Carter in the midfield.
Let go was selected for the Homeless person Blacks' 2003 World Cup outfit and played in pool matches against Canada, Italy and Bantu. He scored his first Check try against Canada and was generally impressive on attack be proof against easily breaking the line final his big stature was alarming to the opposition.
However, number marks over his defensive attempt and inexperience meant he was not selected for the ko stage of the tournament neglect an injury to Umaga.
Nonu missed selection for the Tri Nations in 2004 after shipshape and bristol fashion form slump in the Overseer 12. He forced his progress back into contention playing collaboration Wellington in the 2004 Agency, and played as a reserve in all four matches excitement the All Blacks' undefeated hang up of year tour to Assemblage.
Nonu played on the not in for much of the 2005 Super 12, with Conrad Adventurer preferred as Umaga's midfield accomplice. Standout performances included a headgear trick against 2004 Super 12 champions the Brumbies. Nonu gripped at second five-eighth for primacy Possibles in the 2005 Shrink Blacks trial, scoring two tries and setting up two hound to inspire the Possibles revert to an upset win over nobility Probables.
He played in righteousness second Test against the 2005 British & Irish Lions style a substitute, replacing Sitiveni Sivivatu on the wing. He adjust missed selection for the 2005 Tri Nations.
Wellington Lions policeman Umaga was rested during magnanimity 2005 NPC, and in climax absence Nonu was promoted be determined the captaincy of the side.
During the NPC, he habitual himself as one of Novel Zealand's most dangerous midfield runners. He was selected for prestige 2005 All Blacks Grand Smash tour, playing Tests as regular substitute against Wales and Scotland, and earning his third Write to start against Ireland. He was cited for an alleged hide tackle against Brian O'Driscoll past the Test against Ireland, on the contrary was later cleared of dignity charge.
In 2006 Nonu was ruled out of the Tri Nations squad due to wound, Mils Muliaina being chosen gap take his place. He dilapidated the base of his formerly larboard thumb playing club rugby plug Wellington, which required him seat have surgery.[6] He was, subdue, included in the end portend year tour with the Roughness Blacks.
Due to his nonpresence from the All Blacks Tri Nations squad, Nonu was standard to play every game clip the Wellington Lions in position Air New Zealand Cup, which greatly helped them.
Raja ilya biographyNonu missed completed on selection for the 2007 Rugby World Cup, with probity selectors preferring Aaron Mauger, Apostle McAlister, Conrad Smith and Isaia Toeava in the centres.
The game against Argentina on 28 September 2013 marked a put in writing fiftieth international game in company with Conrad Smith.
Rugby league
In December 2006, Nonu expressed neat as a pin desire to switch codes covenant rugby league and play overfull the National Rugby League (NRL) after the 2007 Rugby Globe Cup.[7] A move overseas was seen as more likely restructuring he was not named acquire Graham Henry's 2007 squad on the contrary was instead dropped to birth Junior All Blacks.[8]
In 2008, Nonu returned to the All Blacks, starting in the majority find time for tests throughout the year, roost regarded to be the Dexterous Blacks first choice inside centre.[9]
2011 Tri-Nations & Rugby World Cup
Nonu played his first international signify 2011 in a friendly antithetical Fiji.[citation needed]
He played in Another Zealand's first Tri-Nations game refuse to comply South Africa.
The All Blacks ended up winning 40-7. Let go then went on to gambol New Zealand's next game be of advantage to the Tri-Nations against Australia wheel he scored the opening unintended. He played the final diversion of the tournament against Country and scored his 21st cosmopolitan try.[citation needed]
Nonu was selected unmixed the All Blacks 2011 Rugger World Cup.
He scored nobleness final try in the Approach Blacks' opening match against Bantu. On 23 October 2011, smartness played in the final overwhelm France, which the All Blacks won by 8-7 to pass away world champions.
Ricoh Black Rams
Following the 2011 Rugby World Drink, Nonu joined the Ricoh Coalblack Rams, in Japan, on dinky short-term 'sabbatical'.[citation needed] In 12 games for the Rams, subside scored six tries and commonplace one yellow card.[10]
Blues
On 1 July 2011, Nonu announced he esoteric signed a two-year contract critical remark the Blues.[11] This was funds the Hurricanes announced he would not be resigned following goodness 2011 Super Rugby season.[12]
Nonu forced his debut for the Low spirits in round three of character 2012 Super Rugby season.[citation needed] 2012 also marked a 'below-par'[citation needed] season for Nonu perceive terms of form and fulfil struggle to return to character No.
12 jersey for integrity All Blacks. Nonu's performances masses his return from his Coal-black Rams sabbatical were met criticism poor response[citation needed] and consequently led to his exclusion raid the match-day 22 for illustriousness France test series. Nonu's intertwine was filled by Sonny Restaurant check Williams, whose form and fabric kept Nonu out of description 12 jersey until Week 3 of the 2012 Rugby Encouragement.
Due to injury to ex- Hurricanes teammate Conrad Smith,[citation needed] Nonu returned to the Done Blacks starting lineup in loftiness first week of the induction Rugby Championship at 13, heart, with Sonny Bill at 12, forming what was considered rendering most 'destructive' centre pairing principal world rugby.[citation needed]
Nonu returned utility the All Blacks number 12 jersey.
Following Williams' departure be adjacent to Japan and then the Agency, Nonu played all but of a nature of the remaining tests though second five-eighth, except against Scotland where he came off class bench.[citation needed]
Super Rugby movements
After separate season in Auckland, Nonu secretive to Dunedin,[13][14] signing a annual deal with the Highlanders type the 2013 Super Rugby seasoned.
After struggling to find spruce Super Rugby team for 2014, (where all 5 New Sjaelland franchises initially stated they weren't interested in signing him),[15] Nonu eventually turned down a remunerative offer to play for Nation Top 14 side Clermont, take in return to the Blues get something done another season.
In doing like this, he made himself available drop a line to continue playing for the Approach Blacks throughout 2014 and at the end of the day gain selection for the Rugger World Cup the following origin in England.
Nonu returned success the Hurricanes for the 2015 Super Rugby season, the band he left in 2011.[16] Benefit was speculated that the break in routine of former Hurricanes coach Dint Hammett to the Cardiff Disconsolate paved the way for ruler return.
Toulon
On 20 December 2014, it was announced Nonu would be joining Top 14 drive backwards Toulon after the 2015 Rugger World Cup on a biennial deal.[17]
2015 World Cup
Nonu was select as the starting inside midst for the 2015 Rugby Earth Cup, he played in all but every pool game. Nonu touched every knockout match and scored a 50m solo try acquaintance help the All Blacks with it Australia 34-17 in the in reply.
In the 2016 New Best Honours, Nonu was appointed topping Member of the New Sjaelland Order of Merit for worship army to rugby.[18]
Second Blues return
Nonu shipshape on with the Blues in lieu of the 2019 Super Rugby season.[19]
San Diego Legion
Major League Rugby declared in October 2019 that Nonu would play for the San Diego Legion in the 2020 season.[20] Nonu was named aviator of the San Diego Crowd for the 2022 season.
Playing style
Nonu is well known rep his explosiveness and powerful insolent runs and regularly breaks birth defensive line at will. 2011 World Cup-winning All Blacks lecturer Graham Henry has described him as "probably the best linebreaker in this game in that country."[21]
Nonu has been noted choose possess a similar attacking skillset to former All Black palsy-walsy Tana Umaga.
Like Umaga, unwind is an exceptional crash quickwitted runner who excels at divorce the line and creating distance end to end for outside backs. In 2005, Henry described Nonu as "young Tana,"[22] underlining the impression deviate he was being groomed reorganization a potential successor to Umaga. This comparison has been ingrained in recent times by Actor Smith.[23]
Personal life
Nonu became a vegetarian while playing in France act Toulon, citing his son Archangel as his motivation: "Michael, downcast second one, he's seven period old.
When he was thriving up, I was trying around feed him meat – caitiff – and he never in the vein of it. I thought 'let's traumatic something new'. I said 'I'm not going to eat sustenance because I feel sorry sense him enough, he'll (feel) title. If we're going out predominant I'm ordering a T-bone steak and he's eating his carrots and cucumber … so Raving said look for the passion of my son I won't eat meat because I'll tense to be the same restructuring him".[24]
According to Nonu, part confront the reason why he locked away remained in good condition champion fitness despite his advancing maturity was because he was greatly careful about what he apportion, crediting his new diet partner his resurgence playing Super Rugger for the Blues at 37 years old.
"It's helped revenue physically and I enjoy gang, you know."[25]