NZ red headed stepchild headed back to Highlanders

Nonu must really have issues for no one being willing to take him in. Hurricanes didn't want him even at a bargain price. Tew and Hansen are exerting all the pressure they can and they usually get their way with all things All Black so it really is curious that they can't get their way with Nonu. Have seen a lot of people trying to explain the disparity between his Super Rugby and All Black performances as Hansen just being able to get the most out of him. That's BS - at this level and at his age its on Nonu. Super Rugby coaches should be clamoring for his services. There are very few rugby players in the world that I would label as punks - its one of the things that makes the sport great - but Nonu would be one of them and its a real shame. He doesn't belong in an otherwise classy All Black team.

Ma'a Nonu's hopes of returning to the Hurricanes next season have nose-dived, but not the chances of the All Blacks midfield star staying in New Zealand.

There was palpable relief at the Hurricanes training base yesterday after first five-eighth Beauden Barrett spurned an offer from the Blues to re-sign with his franchise for one more season.

And while the now customary wall of silence was thrown up by coach Mark Hammett when the subject of Nonu was raised, it is understood his stance is in line with the Crusaders, Chiefs and Blues.

Hammett jettisoned Nonu from the Hurricanes in 2011 and appears unwilling to do a u-turn despite the player and NZRU sharing a desire for him to return to the Capital.

That leaves the Highlanders, who could now be the lifeline for the NZRU as they fight to keep Nonu in the country.

Money is not believed to be part of the befuddling equation or part of Nonu's motivation. The Oriental Rongotai clubman is said to have been willing to play in Wellington at a bargain price.

Hurricanes chief executive James Te Puni and the New Zealand Rugby Union were as evasive as Hammett when quizzed yesterday.

"Its obviously on the record that the New Zealand Rugby came to speak to us some time ago and that other parties have been chatting," he told gathered media. "But it's probably a question to go to Steve Tew. He's got five franchises to choose from and we've got nothing to add to earlier comments."

An NZRU spokesman reiterated Nonu remained a critical part of the All Blacks plans and that talks were continuing about his options for 2014.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has stated his disappointment that none of the five Kiwi franchises had put their hand up and NZRU chief executive Tew reiterated that view on Sky's ReUnion rugby show this week.

"You've got one of the best players in the world and we don't currently have a franchise for him and we're working through a series of options for that," he offered.

There is sure to be disappointment in some quarters if Nonu's "homecoming" does not occur.

The 31-year-old sure to be a crowd favourite when the All Blacks play Wellington and Canterbury at the Hutt Recreation Ground tonight regardless of whether his injured ankle allows him to take a full part.

And while Hurricanes fans will be thrilled at Barrett's return albeit for one year, these remain nervous times for a franchise that still does not have All Black wing Julian Savea's signature.

 Nonu is lazy. Thats why he never shows up for Super games but performs for Tests. He must be a vey devisive player why he cant find a permanent contract with a local team. I think NZ rugby can manage without him. The powers that be must let him go aready.

hansen isnt excerting any pressure really, folks need to understand that if hansen wants nonu to play at the hurricanes, theres absolutely nothing that hammet can do about it, NZRU have all the power when it comes to the NZ spXV franchises.
same thing happened with rua tipoki and the blues, david nucifora didtn want tipoki in his squad, but the NZRU made him and the blues take him.

hansen has already stated that he dosent want to step on hammets toes though and will ultimately leave the decision up with them, i cant help but wonder if hansen wouldnt have just told him to take him if hammet wasnt a fellow crusader???

i cant stand hammet TBH, i think hes such a cockhead and now chooses to keep his mouth shut regarding nonu, but when it came to letting nonu go in the first place, he told nonu and hore they wouldnt be needed before telling the media 5mins later and stating that nonu wasnt a good fit. what a genuine fuckwit and hes done nothing with the hurricanes who are full of star and quality players.
hammet owes the cane fans a title, and if he dosent deliver then his appoitment has been the biggest waste of time ever in hurricanes history, personallly i wish he would just fuck off back to chch now, cos i think hes a complete wanka.

one of the main issues regarding the hurricanes this year was the lack of impact made by our 12, bateman was used for the majority of those matches and he was shit, a  surprise to me considering how awesome he was the year before and also during the ITM.
its a role that nonu could have both filled in nicely for the canes.

nonu nees to pull finger now with the highlanders, u only need to watch the test matches in june to know hes still got a ton of top shelf game left in him, so the best way for him to say thanks to jamie and the highalnders and say fuck u to everyone else is play his freaking heart out.

the pwoers that be can afford to let him go, but they wont want too, as the june tests still prove hes got it, but they will be hoping that SBW comes back sooner rather then later, 2014 is a 50/50 chance according to SBW, but 2015 is almost a sure thing, im sure hansen and co would like nonus services to help fill in the cracks till then,

@oimatey,
when i read the title, for some reason i thought of james ryan, the red headed lock who played for the highlanders and All Blacks, and for a very brief second i was like yaaaay, :o/

 Sas - what do you think of Lee Lo? I thought he had potential, but was disappointed to see he's already 27.

@oimatey,

funny that u should mention ray, cos i rate him a lot and consider hom the only real 12 option the canes have.
hammet is very conservative though as well as being a stubborn cockhead, so he will prob continue the failed formula of bateman as the incumbent 12, :o/

 saSUE  says - folks need to understand that if hansen wants nonu to play at the hurricanes, theres absolutely nothing that hammet can do about it, NZRU have all the power when it comes to the NZ spXV franchises.

This is a very revealing comment and it shows how the NZRFU was able to load the crusaders with abs and thus ensure Super Comp wins.

thanks saSUE I knew the truth would out.

So how do you explain the Chiefs then beaner ,just got lucky I suppose ?Your like the answer to a question no one could be arsed about asking arent ya ?

@beeno1 aka storminged,

dont know who the NZRFU are and im not too sure how the truth would out??? o_O
but the NZRU do have all the power, that dosent mean they go and load one team full of talnet, thats they type of bureaucratic numbskullery the likes of which is more commonly associated with SARU.

the NZRU will however step in and put a firm hand should the need arise, like it did with tipoki and if needed like it would have with nonu.

hansen already said though that he wouldnt step on hammets toes, so the NZRU didnt intervene.

"This is a very revealing comment and it shows how the NZRFU was able to load the crusaders with abs and thus ensure Super Comp wins."
im not surprised to see u turning the comments i made into some fictional statement, ur post was the equivalent of me giving a monkey a banana and the monkey turning it into to poo,