Ma'a Nonu...RWC or nah?
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See how he goes first , if he is good enough , absolutely
my gut feeling is though, father time will have caught up to him and he wont quite be the same , happens to the best of us
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For most players, no, but as it's one of the greatest players to ever play the game, yes. Even if he's only 60-70% of the player he once was I'd still take him.
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@rotated said in Ma'a Nonu...RWC or nah?:
Has anyone returned from an overseas stint that wasn't a sabbatical and been of any value?
Working in his favour the positions centre spots aren't currently occupied (but may be on Sunday) so there is a chance, but Nonu's history and how late he is leaving his run make me weary.
It would be quite the thing though, he missed '07 so he wouldn't be going to join Brian Lima his fifth tournament but still bloody incredible to play in RWCs 16 years apart.
Leon MacDonald, Nonu, Kaino off the top of my head.
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It ain't a well trodden path coming back from so long over seas and getting back in black, but if he is playing good enough, then I'm in.
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@african-monkey said in Ma'a Nonu...RWC or nah?:
For most players, no, but as it's one of the greatest players to ever play the game, yes. Even if he's only 60-70% of the player he once was I'd still take him.
He's no ordinary player. Even his mentor Tana fell off a cliff in his last Super season. Nonu was brilliant right up until the day he walked away from the ABs. Let's see what he looks like when he gets back
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There is something different about Nonus' return than previous players - he's had a long break. He's not arriving immediately after a NH season. I think his last game was back in May? (apart from the world xv match)
That's a good off season to clear up all those niggles he would have picked up over the yearsHaving said that, I wouldn't be surprised if TJ Faiane is the starting Blues 12 by the end of the season. The new coach doesn't have the same loyalty to either of the old guys as the sacked coach
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Nonu's performances were always up and down in Super Rugby, the opposite of his time in the ABs once he was the established 2nd 5. Sometimes he looked disinterested. If he is serious about pushing for a place in the 2019 RWC squad he's going to roll back the years to 2015 form.
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@bovidae said in Ma'a Nonu...RWC or nah?:
Nonu's performances were always up and down in Super Rugby, the opposite of his time in the ABs once he was the established 2nd 5. Sometimes he looked disinterested. If he is serious about pushing for a place in the 2019 RWC squad he's going to roll back the years to 2015 form.
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@kirwan said in Ma'a Nonu...RWC or nah?:
@rotated said in Ma'a Nonu...RWC or nah?:
Has anyone returned from an overseas stint that wasn't a sabbatical and been of any value?
Leon MacDonald, Nonu, Kaino off the top of my head.
II'll give you Kaino (although he was talking about coming back before he left), Nonu's was a sabbatical, MacDonald's was effectively a sabattical. The hurdle seems to be when a player mentally has shut the door on playing for the ABs again and the sharpness and fitness goes as a result, prying the door open again seems to be bloody tough.
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@rotated said in Ma'a Nonu...RWC or nah?:
@kirwan said in Ma'a Nonu...RWC or nah?:
@rotated said in Ma'a Nonu...RWC or nah?:
Has anyone returned from an overseas stint that wasn't a sabbatical and been of any value?
Leon MacDonald, Nonu, Kaino off the top of my head.
II'll give you Kaino (although he was talking about coming back before he left), Nonu's was a sabbatical, MacDonald's was effectively a sabattical. The hurdle seems to be when a player mentally has shut the door on playing for the ABs again and the sharpness and fitness goes as a result, prying the door open again seems to be bloody tough.
Lucre was the cautionary tale that springs to mind. Thought he could go off and get paid, then come back and get back in, but he was worse when he got back. He didn't have Nonu's gifts though. Having met him in passing once, the guy is a total farking meast, like a squared off block of granite. He always seemed more durable than the rest. I can't recall him ever really getting injured
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I say yay.
On the theory that the only way he gets back in is if he is absolutely killing it. His best form equates to the best 12 i have ever seen, why overlook that on principle?
Of course the chances of that form reappearing at e very very slim, it's 15 years since he made his debut!!
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@westcoastie said in Ma'a Nonu...RWC or nah?:
What happens if Ma'a Nonu makes Super Rugby his bitch in 2019? like he's the form midfielder...
Does he make the AB's or not?In the unlikely event that happened, easily.
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Whats Conrad Smith up to? DC is just finishing up a season in Japan. Could his arm be twisted as well.
9.Smith
10 DC*
11. Ioane
12.Nonu
13. Smith
14. Smith
15. Barrett- DC doesn't have to play any Super Rugby or RC as he was shit in 2015 just needs to turn it up at the RWC.
Oh and yes to Nonu if he brings the noise.
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@mn5 said in Ma'a Nonu...RWC or nah?:
Ma'a is far and away the best 12 the ABs have had.
He's come a long way since the days of getting on the piss and arrested on Courtney Place!
I think his finest years put him into that echelon but there were years of dross as well.
Have we seen more consistent 12's throughout their AB career, yes
