Nonu released by Hurricanes, joins the Blues

Does anyone else find this a bit bizarre? Nonu is one of the world's best inside centres. Him and Smith have an unparalleled partnership at the Hurricanes. Hopefully he'll find a new club. Apparently he's been linked with Munster and Toulon. Good luck to him.

Toulon?? Sure they've just signing Giteau. If he has any sense he'll go to Munster. They'll pay him whatever he wants.

He's staying in New Zealand most likely as the NZRU still want him. The likelihood is he'll join the Chiefs.

MBTGOG

Yeh but surely Sonny Bill Williams has secured the 12 jersey for the All Blacks now? If I was him I'd do a Nick Evans. He should quit while he's ahead, rather than play second fiddle to SBW. He could have a brilliant career in Europe. He's 29 now and if he doesn't get a move on over to France or Ireland it'll be too late. Munster need a centre with Sam Tuitupou leaving for Sale and Paul Warwick going to Stade Francais.

To reiterate my comment on another thread last night, Mark Hammett:

Broadly, the Hurricanes players have historically been allowed a fair amount of freedom on and off-field. This has lead to some scinitilating play at times, and some rubbish stuff at others, and overall they have under-achieved as a franchise.

Mark Hammett came in as coach this year, and has apparently attempted to impose a more-Crusaderesque discipline* on the team, both on and off field. That's rubbed up several senior 'Canes the wrong way - notably skipper Andrew Hore, Nonu and Corey Jane, who're all likely to leave (Corey Jane's wife is the 'Canes' head cheer leader too?!?). Hammett is quite pally with NZRU CEO Steve "Teflon" Tew, so has been able to get away with saying "my way or the highway".


*The Crusaders run as a pretty tight-knit family - Penny Deans initially and latterly Priscilla Blackadder have done a fair job of marshalling the players' wives and girlfriends into a cohesive support network for the team. Barring a couple of exceptions (Merht's wife running off with Daryl Lilley after getting upset with Merhts playing the field and Caleb Ralph ditching his wife for Zara Phillips before she met Mike Tindall) it's worked well.

Bath please

Why are so many players linked to Bath? Dan Carter was supposed to be going to Bath. The only signing Bath are making is Carl Fearns.

I'm not giving my opinion, just telling you what they are saying down under what is likely to happen.

Personally, I'd love it to happen.

Come to Munster I mean.

Bear in mind that SBW hasn't committed to anyone post RWC as yet, who knows what sport Khoder Nasser might decide to try him at yet.

Cricket? I bet he would smash so many sixes.

SBW would be a hit in the IPL

BATH_BTGOG wrote:Bath please

Think you're going to have to wash yourself this time, champ

Shot put?

Love to see him at Munster, however I still think a 13 would be a better signing, as mafi and deasy both look like good 12's and there seems to be more talent coming through at 12 like jj hanrahan, 13 howver barnes and dineen both look a bit green yet, howver i think barnes looks every promising, we definatly have 2 sign a centre, i know keatly can cover there but id prefer him as a 10 or 15, from last season we lose warick,tuitupou, and barry murphy from centre and learnt that j.murphy and earls are not centres, so i feel a centre sign is necessary, but who is avaliable of the right quality? i would love fourie but its unlikely, nonu and looks like he'll stay in nz as will evans. giteau and a-s-c are already contracted for next season. Richard kahui or isa toeva my be our best bet, however the most likely would be de villers returning which i wouldnt be too displeased with

I did wonder why the Hurricanes weren't playing their usual off the cuff attacking rugby this year compared to previous years.

bravemunstermagic

I agree. I don't think Munster can rely on their academy players next season if they're serious about winning some silverware. They need to make a major signing in light of the departure of Warwick and Tuitupo. In my opinion Munster made a serious mistake letting Tipoki go in 2008/9 (although I don't know the details). He was really the driving force behind their 2008 Heineken Cup victory. De Villiers was also brilliant.

Munster's backs need to be bolstered with a big signing next year. Fingers crossed that Ma'a will be plying his trade at Thomond in the near future.

"Munster made a serious mistake letting Tipoki go in 2008/9 (although I don't know the details). "

He was unable to recover from a recurring hamstring injury and retired back to NZ as far as I know.

Thanks MunsterMac. I'm sure with the SH talent coming north at the end of the World Cup Munster will find someone to stick in alongside ROG et al.

As pointed out above, the reports seem to be that he'll stay in NZ, but of all the likely NH sides, I reckon Toulouse would be the best fit for him. They need a replacement for Jauzion, who is really starting to show his age, and Nonu would injuect exactly the sort of dynamism that the likes of Clerc and Heymans could feed off.

Toulosue will not need Nonu, they have jauzioun, poutreanud, yann david, florian fritz and luke mcallister all internationl centres who can play 12, toulouse have no need for another centre, (cacau can even play there)

Munster badly need a 12 and maybe a 13 too. Mind you mafi was superb in the magners final. Will he be staying next year? Barnes looks good but was exposed a few times in defence by O'Driscoll. Earls looks better in the back 3.

I think nonu would be a fantastic signing for Munster, who are only one or two players short from mounting a real serious HEC push again.

funnyexiledscot

No there's no way Toulouse would sign him. They've already made their big signings this year - Luke Burgess, Luke McAlister and Guthro Steenkamp. Besides, they've got Jauzion, Poitrenaud and Fritz.

I think he would do well at Munster. The crowd would love him and he'd fill a much needed gap in the Munster repetoire. Basically Munster need new signings in the backs.

Not too pushed about Nonu - I think he has had a few on field disciplinary problems and Munster might not be the right spot to sort that out at the moment because what we have can do very well at the moment picking up yellow cards.

I'd much prefer Jean de Villiers - he is a fine player (on fire at the moment) - we know what we'd be getting with him.

Green shoots of Mafi.v2008 beginning to appear as well.

Ruggerby - Warwick is being replaced by Felix Jones at fullback, who is going to be a top player (he is nearly there already). Ian Keatley (from Connacht) will be ROG's backup and more than likely ROG's replacement in 2 years time.

As an aside, with Keatly's arrival, Munster are uniting a couple of players that won the U20s 6Ns Grand Slam a few years ago - Keatley (10), Earls (11), Jones (15) & Tommy O'Donnell (7). Medard & Trinh-Duch were in the losing French side.

Yeh agreed Felix Jones is a good player. His tackling is solid. It'll be a sad day when ROG retires. But in many ways I'll be glad to see the back of him.

Interesting about the U20 6 nations. Must have been about 4/5 years ago. I think Medard is 24.

ruggerbyplayer wrote:Yeh agreed Felix Jones is a good player. His tackling is solid. It'll be a sad day when ROG retires. But in many ways I'll be glad to see the back of him.

Interesting about the U20 6 nations. Must have been about 4/5 years ago. I think Medard is 24.

Most non-Munster supporters feel like that for some reason or other

It was the '07 - 6-nations. Of the Leinster players in that team that played France, only Cian Healy has made it to Leinster's first team - it would seem that Keatley & Jones made the right decision to move.

Interesting. But there's so much established talent and foreign talent at Leinster. What was the team just out of curiosity if you have it?

It makes little sense to me to show experienced ABs the door. How can Hore simultaneously be in the ABs leadership group, and so much of a problem employee that the Hurricanes boot him out?

It's some arrogance from Hammett, and by his track record of turning a top side into wooden spoon contenders I'm not sure what the basis is for his support.

It's damaging both the Hurricanes and NZ rugby.

But not damaging for European clubs, who can snap up these guys if New Zealand don't want them. Madness.

[funnyexiledscot

No there's no way Toulouse would sign him. They've already made their big signings this year - Luke Burgess, Luke McAlister and Guthro Steenkamp. Besides, they've got Jauzion, Poitrenaud and Fritz.

I think he would do well at Munster. The crowd would love him and he'd fill a much needed gap in the Munster repetoire. Basically Munster need new signings in the backs.]


Jauzion is spent, Fritz is made of glass and Poitrennaud is a 15 (he didn't convince me at 12). A McAllister/Nonu partnership outside Beauxis with the Toulouse back three - I'd put money on that side winning the HC.

He'd fit well at Munster as well, and I'm sure Howlett could be persuasive as he seems to have enjoyed his time there.

ruggerbyplayer wrote:Interesting. But there's so much established talent and foreign talent at Leinster. What was the team just out of curiosity if you have it?

Felix Jones 15 Maxime Medard
Shane Monahan 14 Yohan Huget
Darren Cave 13 Thomas Combezou
Aidan Wynne 12 Arnaud Mignardi
Keith Earls 11 Mathieu Nicolas
Ian Keatley 10 Romain Sola
Paul O'Donohoe 9 Fabio Da Silva Lopes
Cian Healy 1 Benjamin Sore
Richard Sweeney 2 Guilhem Guirado
Jamie Hagan 3 Davien Weber
Conor McInerney 4 Dorian Seve
Andrew Browne 5 Damien Lagrange
TJ Anderson 6 Jean Monribot
Tommy O'Donnell 7 Fulgence Ouedrago
David Pollock 8 Louis Picamoles

Subs: Ireland)Ger Slattery, Ruaidhri Murphy, Neilus Keogh, Kevin Sheahan, David Drake, Niall O'Connor, Kyle Tonetti
France: Laurent Simutaga, Julien Androque, Cesar Damiani, Benjamin Beaux, Max Carabignac, Francois Trinh-Duc, Julien Fumat.

The score was 19-16 and it was in Athlone. Tries: Sweeney. Sola Monribot. Keatley got 4 penalties + con.

EDIT: Luke Fitz must have been injured because he would have been U20 and young enough to make the team at the time.

Sean O'Brien was also in the side but was injured for that game.

MBTGOG wrote:Sean O'Brien was also in the side but was injured for that game.

Correct. And both SOB & TOD missed the Italian game as well.

Nonu is likely to stay in NZ,a new coach,a new broom,poor season for Hurricanes.But when you look at injuries in key positions hardly unlikely.
Nonu and Conrad Smith is the established All Black pairing,combinations are more important than individuals.SBW is probably a two season wonder,back in NH after RWC.SBW and Freuen would make sense,ok Freuen has`nt had a good time lately but has the makings.Kahui if fit is a certainity for RWC.There was talk of Kahuiand Conrad Smith as 12 and 13 ,if Nonu goes North and SBW follows I can see that happening.SBW is great of the bench,but his offloading style will be sussed by the better teams.

That was some year. Keatley had the year before I think (maybe 2 years) steered Belvedere to a Senior Cup victory with some ballsy attacking play. There was a lot of talent in the team and it is amazing that next season so many will be playing in the HC and a good number will be at the RWC too.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/5118917/Hurricanes-star-pair-simply-had-to-go

sort of answers the questions about his being left out.

Conrad Smith is the most important player of the combo and a SBW/Conrad Smith mix for the ABs would be alright.

Corey Jane may be off elsewhere too. (note, he apparently had a deal to Japan sorted but changed his mind after the earthquake and tsumami).

Japanese clubs are currently paying better money than the French to "mid-rank" players (who certainly aren't mid-rank in Japan).

Not sure that Hammetts opinion is much of a brace against the lunacy of this situation, however sympathetically it is reported in the press.

Nonu particularly, and Hore to an extent are both talented, experienced players and irreplaceable resources who have proven themselves time and time again.

What are Hammetts credentials as a coach exactly? so far he has nothing to show other than one utterly dismal season.

In any other line of work a manager who lines up his top employees for as fall guys for a diasterous season just further alienates the rest of his staff. Looks like this is already happening with Jane.

I suspect Hammett might find this RR blanket might just end up leaving his nether regions a little exposed.

Hammett has been assistant coach at the Crusaders for a few years. That's his only coaching credentials.
I understand he has never ever ever ever been a head coach of any team. Clearly he is going to learn his job on the job like Tana was going to with Touloun. (And we know how that turned out)

On the other hand a good rugby friend has told me before about the problems in Wellington rugby.

Hilarious that both Nonu and Hore featured so prominently in this mornings game.

Also, how much have they missed weepu? He reads the game so well.

A 12/13 pairing of Nonu and O'Driscoll at Leinster would be worth the price of admission by itself.

But the above posters are right - it's Munster who actually need him.

And Scotland.

But that's another story.

Ma'a MacNonu certainly has a ring to it

Its simple he is off to the Scarlet to replace Regan King

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Ma'a MacNonu certainly has a ring to it

Hey you leave the poaching to us! ... and for your information its Ma'a O'Nonu

May i raise you Ma'a ap Nonu? Or perhaps if the Pirates were interested Ma'a Trenonu!

Hopefully Big Carl will have sang the praises of living in the Northumberland countryside, with all the great surf here aswell.

Sorry Geordie, Munster has better pull. Christian Cullen has been sympathising publicly with Ma'a O'Nonu. Something similar happened to him in 2003.

I think Nonu would fit in well in Munster with Dougie & Mafi as he seems to be a bit of a joker - he arrived for his All Blacks World Cup camp wearing a Chiefs Jacket and Crusaders shorts

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/5209935/All-Black-hopefuls-get-World-Cup-chance

Christian Cullen's comments:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-news/sport/5163466/ABs-great-Cullen-backs-dumped-Ma-a-Nonu

Nonu is a complete waste of space IMO. He rarely passes the ball to a better placed team mate,has no idea of whats going on around him as he always is looking straight ahead and is also a very lazy and disruptive trainer by all reports. Buy him at your own peril, I know the Crusaders wouldn't have room for him unless he can peel oranges!!!

Any you insane? you'd be hard pressed to find a better distributor. His long passing skills are just sublime.

I wonder if Nonu's apparent issues aren't symptomatic of being a very big fish in a very small pond. The guy can't walk down the street without sticking out like a sore thumb. In a bigger place with a little more anonymity he might be a little less self conscious and his "antics" may not be quite so heavily scrutinised, or appear quite so outrageous. Hammet may have inadvertantly done him a huge favour by getting him out of the fish bowl. Frankly I find more disruptive things than Nonu in my breakfast cereal.

Yeah those criticisms were possibly true about 6 years ago but he has improved the weak aspects of his game no end.

I think he is the most impressive player I've ever seen in that regard.I can't think of any player who was good but one dimensional that improved to such an extent over a career.