Nonu All Back and Blue

The protracted saga over where Ma'a Nonu will play in 2014 is finally over with the All Blacks star signing with the Blues.

Nonu, 31, has opted to turn down a lucrative offer from a French rugby club, which would have forced him to take a sabbatical from New Zealand rugby.

It also would have made him unavailable to the All Blacks until after next June's three-test series here against England.

But either All Blacks coach Steve Hansen or the New Zealand Rugby Union forced a rethink.

The Blues and the Chiefs made late bids for the experienced midfielder after all five Kiwi Super Rugby franchises had previously stated they did not want him.

Nonu had turned down a plum offer from French club Clermont.

Although he has played 85 tests for the All Blacks, Nonu has been a noted non-performer at Super Rugby level. He upset Blues coach Sir John Kirwan when he reneged on a deal to play there last season.

Instead, Nonu turned out for the Highlanders - his third franchise in as many years after his career at the Hurricanes ended when coach Mark Hammett forced him out.

Nonu will now return to the team he played for in 2012 having agreed terms with Kirwan in the last 48 hours.

Nonu played 110 games for the Hurricanes between 2003 and 2011 and plays for the Oriental-Rongotai club in Wellington club rugby.

Fairfax

Brycy

Any franchise  prepared to take on Nonu must be gambling big time.   His record in Super 15 this year has been disgraceful and his illegal tackles are always in the red and yellow card zone.  I think his performance is going down and I believe he is in the AB team because they do not have any other reasonable center to replace him.

He still have an occasional top play in attack - but it is far too rare to be acceptable - and his defence has deteriorated - hence his preference for illegal tackling.

Hope Kirwan can reign him in - but I do not see of what value Nonu would be to the Blues

 Sasue

With respect - my friend - Nonu the best 12 in the world?  You really must be kidding or being partial in making that statement.  He may have been years ago - he definitely is not at present.

Cloudy

Not really on the over 30 issue.  De Villiers is 31 and he remains a very good and fair player - so is Habana.   What bothers me is the issue of actual performances after that age.

Some - the exceptions stay in top league - even though their performances have gone down from what it used to be.  Some even may get better - very rare - for instance De Villiers is better than he was 2 years ago.  The latter probably have been the result of his captaincy and the fact that he feels that as a leader who must set an example to his players.

On the whole I believe - and it has been proven - that the older players get - the more they become injured and the longer it takes them to recover.   That in itself can be an impediment insofar as the team I concerned.  However, that can be a two-edged sword - since it opens up the way for younger players - like Cane - to prove how really valuable they are.

I am needling the NZ members by reference to McCaw - even though I honestly believe that he is not the player he was two years ago - but he is still top class - better than any opensider we have. 

In the case of Nonu I am honest and really meant what I wrote - he is going downhill and his attitude is not helping him - it is just causing havoc for his team.  That is why the franchises had to be forced by Hansen to give him another chance. 

Cloudy

Hansen's pressure is based on some newspaper reports I saw since it became known that the Highlanders do not want him anymore.   Newspapers often speculate and write things to sell their papers - so I may be wrong.

Teammates could also be a problem - look no further than James O'Connor as an example - and I hope Kaino and Marshall are stabilizing forces in the case of Nonu.   Would still NEVER select him in my fantasy rugby squads - too big a gamble for my liking.