Ma'a Allan Nonu (IPA: [mɑːʔɑ nɒnuː]; born 21 May 1982 in Wellington, New Zealand) is a professional rugby union player from New Zealand. Nonu plays for the Wellington Lions in the NPC, the Hurricanes in the Super 14, and the New Zealand All Blacks. He plays in the centre position, but can also cover second five-eighth and wing. is the 141st day of the year (142nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... For other uses, see Rugby (disambiguation). ... A normal Rugby union team formation illustrating each of the positions and their respective numbers. ... A normal Rugby union team formation illustrating each of the positions and their respective numbers. ... A normal Rugby union team formation illustrating each of the positions and their respective numbers. ... First international  Australia 3 - 22 New Zealand  (15 August 1903) Largest win  New Zealand 145 - 17 Japan  (4 June 1995) Worst defeat  Australia 28 - 7 New Zealand  (28 August 1999) World Cup Appearances 6 (First in 1987) Best result Champions, 1987 The All Blacks are New Zealands national rugby... A cap is an appearance for a select team, such as a school, county or international team in sports. ... The Wellington Rugby Union is part of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union for the Wellington region. ... The Super 14 is the largest rugby union football club championship in the southern hemisphere, consisting of provincial teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. ... The Hurricanes (formerly known as the Wellington Hurricanes) are a New Zealand rugby union team based in Wellington and representing the East Coast, Poverty Bay, Hawkes Bay, Taranaki, Wanganui, Manawatu, Wairarapa-Bush, Horowhenua-Kapiti and Wellington unions. ... The following is a list of international rugby union teams: Any team added to this list should have a corresponding Category:International rugby union teams or Category:National rugby union teams link put into the bottom the article to keep the Category database up to date. ... is the 141st day of the year (142nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... For the first Duke of Wellington, see Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. ... For other uses, see Rugby (disambiguation). ... The Wellington Rugby Football Union is the official governing body of rugby union in the city of Wellington, the capital of New Zealand. ... The National Provincial Championship (which for sponsorship reasons, is referred to as Air New Zealand NPC or just simply NPC) is New Zealands principal domestic rugby union competition. ... The Hurricanes are a New Zealand rugby union team based in Wellington and representing the East Coast, Poverty Bay, Hawkes Bay, Taranaki, Wanganui, Manawatu, Wairarapa-Bush, Horowhenua-Kapiti and Wellington unions. ... The Super 14 is the largest rugby union football club championship in the southern hemisphere, consisting of provincial teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. ... First international  Australia 3 - 22 New Zealand  (15 August 1903) Largest win  New Zealand 145 - 17 Japan  (4 June 1995) Worst defeat  Australia 28 - 7 New Zealand  (28 August 1999) World Cup Appearances 6 (First in 1987) Best result Champions, 1987 The All Blacks are New Zealands national rugby... A normal Rugby union team formation illustrating each of the positions and their respective numbers. ... A normal Rugby union team formation illustrating each of the positions and their respective numbers. ... A normal Rugby union team formation illustrating each of the positions and their respective numbers. ...

Of Samoan descent, Nonu is known for his blonde-streaked dreadlocks and former penchant for wearing eyeliner on the field.^{[citation needed]} He is equally well-known for his explosiveness and powerful attacking runs and regularly breaks the defensive line at will. He has enough speed to play on the wing, but lacks the raw pace of a specialist in the position. All Blacks coach Graham Henry has described him as "probably the best linebreaker in this game in this country."[1] Henry and his All Blacks coaching predecessor John Mitchell have mainly used Nonu as an impact player off the bench in Tests. He has started only 4 of his 12 Tests. Graham Henry (born 8 June 1946 in Christchurch) is a New Zealand rugby union coach, currently head coach of the countrys national team, the All Blacks. ... John Eric Paul Mitchell, was born on 23rd March 1964 in Hawera, New Zealand. ...

Nonu has a similar attacking skillset to former All Black centre Tana Umaga: like Umaga, he is an exceptional crash ball runner who excels at breaking the line and creating space for outside backs. In 2005, Henry described Nonu as "young Tana,"^[1] underlining the impression that he was being groomed as a potential successor to Umaga. Jonathan Falefasa Tana Umaga, ONZM, (IPA: , born May 27, 1973 in Lower Hutt, New Zealand) is a New Zealand rugby union footballer and former captain of the national team, the All Blacks. ... The crash ball is an attacking tactic in rugby union where a player receives a pass at pace and runs to the oppositions defensive line. ...

Career overview

Nonu attended Rongotai College in Wellington. He played for Wellington Secondary Schools in 1999-2000 and Wellington Under 19s in 2001. He made his provincial debut for Wellington in the 2002 NPC and debuted for the Hurricanes in the 2003 Super 12. He played for the New Zealand Sevens in 2004. On the back of some outstanding Super 12 form, Nonu made his Test debut for the All Blacks on June 14, 2003, starting at centre in a 15-13 loss to England. Bold text // Rugby sevens being played at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, which was held at Melbournes Telstra Dome. ... First international (also the worlds first)  Scotland 4–1 England  (27 March 1871) Largest win  England 134–0 Romania  (17 November 2001) Worst defeat  Australia 76–0 England  (6 June 1998) World Cup Appearances 6 (First in 1987) Best result Champions, 2003 The England national rugby union team represents...

Nonu missed selection for the 2003 Tri Nations, with the selecters preferring Umaga, Aaron Mauger and Daniel Carter in the midfield. He was selected for the All Blacks' 2003 World Cup squad and played in pool matches against Canada, Italy and Tonga. He scored his first Test try against Canada and was generally impressive on attack. However, question marks over his defensive game and inexperience meant he was not selected for the knockout stage of the tournament despite an injury to Umaga. Two rugby tournaments are known as the Tri Nations: See Rugby League Tri-Nations for the rugby league competition. ... Aaron Joseph Douglas Mauger (last name pronounced Major; born 29 November 1980 in Christchurch) is a rugby union footballer who plays at first five-eighths and second five-eighths for Canterbury (Air New Zealand Cup), the Crusaders (Super Rugby) and the New Zealand All Blacks. ... Daniel William Dan Carter (born 5 March 1982 in Christchurch, New Zealand) is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. ... The 2003 Rugby Union World Cup was the fifth world cup in rugby history. ...

Nonu missed selection for the Tri Nations in 2004 after a form slump in the Super 12. He forced his way back into contention playing for Wellington in the 2004 NPC, and played as a substitute in all four matches on the All Blacks' undefeated end of year tour to Europe.

Nonu played on the wing for much of the 2005 Super 12, with Conrad Smith preferred as Umaga's midfield partner. Standout performances included a hat trick against 2004 Super 12 champions the Brumbies. Nonu played at second five-eighth for the Possibles in the 2005 All Blacks trial, scoring two tries and setting up two more to inspire the Possibles to an upset win over the Probables. He played in the second Test against the 2005 British and Irish Lions as a substitute, replacing Sitiveni Sivivatu on the wing. He again missed selection for the 2005 Tri Nations. Conrad Gerard Smith (born 12 October 1981 in Hawera, New Zealand) is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. ... The Brumbies (formerly known as the ACT Brumbies, for sponsorship reasons referred to as CA Brumbies) are a Super 14 rugby union team based in Canberra, Australia and named for the wild horses which inhabit Canberras hinterland. ... The 2005 Lions tour logo In 2005 the British and Irish Lions Rugby union team toured New Zealand for the first time since 1993, suffering a 3-0 whitewash at the hands of the New Zealand All Blacks. ... First match Otago 3 - 8 Great Britain (28 April 1888) Largest win Manawatu 6 - 109 British & Irish Lions (28 June 2005) Worst defeat New Zealand 38 - 6 Lions (16 July 1983) The British and Irish Lions (until 2001 known as the British Isles Rugby Union Team or more colloquially the... Sitiveni Waica Sivivatu (born 19 April 1982 in Suva, Fiji) is a New Zealand rugby union footballer, more specifically a winger. ...

Wellington Lions captain Umaga was rested during the 2005 NPC, and in his absence Nonu was promoted to the captaincy of the team. During the NPC, he established himself as one of New Zealand's most dangerous midfield runners. He was selected for the 2005 All Blacks Grand Slam tour, playing Tests as a substitute against Wales and Scotland, and earning his third Test start against Ireland. He was cited for an alleged spear tackle against Gordon D'Arcy during the Test against Ireland, but was later cleared of the charge. A Grand Slam can be completed in two ways in rugby union. ... First international  England 30 – 0 Wales  (19 February 1881) Largest win  Japan 0 – 98 Wales  (26 November 2004) Worst defeat  South Africa 96 – 13 Wales  (27 June 1998) World Cup Appearances 6/6 (First in 1987) Best result Third 1987 The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international... First international (also the worlds first)  Scotland 4 - 1 England  (27 March 1871) Largest win  Scotland 100 - 8 Japan  (13 November 2004) Worst defeat  Scotland 10 - 68 South Africa  (6 December 1997) World Cup Appearances 6 (First in 1987) Best result Semi-finals, 1991 The Scotland national rugby union... A spear tackle is a dangerous tackle in rugby union, rugby league and Australian rules football whereby a player is picked up by an opponent on their side, and turned so that they are upside down. ... Gordon William DArcy (born February 10, 1980 in Wexford) is an Irish rugby player, more specifically an inside centre. ...

In 2006 Ma'a Nonu was ruled out of the Tri Nations squad due to injury, Mils Muliaina being chosen to take his place. He damaged the base of his left thumb playing club rugby in Wellington, which required him to have surgery.^[2] He was, however, included in the end of year tour with the All Blacks. Junior Malili Muliaina, known as Mils, is an international rugby union player for the New Zealand All Blacks. ...

Due to his absence from the All Blacks Tri Nations squad Ma'a Nonu was able to play every game with the Wellington Lions in the Air New Zealand Cup, which greatly helped them. Nonu missed out on selection for the 2007 Rugby World Cup, with the selectors preferring Aaron Mauger, Luke Mcalister, Conrad Smith and Isaia Toeva in the centres. The Wellington Rugby Football Union is the official governing body of rugby union in the city of Wellington, the capital of New Zealand. ... The Air New Zealand Cup (also referred to by its previous name of the National Provincial Championship, its abbreviation of NPC, or for sponsorship reasons as the Air New Zealand NPC) is New Zealands professional domestic rugby union competition. ...

NRL speculation

In December, 2006, Nonu expressed a desire to switch codes to rugby league and play in the National Rugby League (NRL) after the 2007 Rugby World Cup.^[3]. A move overseas is now seen as more likely as he was not named in Graham Henry's 2007 squad but was instead dropped to the Junior All Blacks. [2] Rugby league football (usually shortened to rugby league, football, league) is a full-contact team sport played with a prolate spheroid-shaped ball by two teams of thirteen on a rectangular grass field. ... The National Rugby League (NRL) is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. ... The 2007 Rugby World Cup is the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union world championship inaugurated in 1987. ... Graham Henry (born 8 June 1946 in Christchurch) is a New Zealand rugby union coach, currently head coach of the countrys national team, the All Blacks. ...

Gold Coast CEO Michael Searle has expressed interest in signing Nonu[3]. The Gold Coast Titans are an Australian professional rugby league football team based on the Gold Coast in Queensland. ...

References

1. ^ "Great chance for 'young Tana'" by Daryl Fenemor, One Sport website, September 15, 2005, retrieved December 2, 2005.
2. ^ "Worse break for Nonu" Rugbyheaven website, July 3, 2006, retrieved October 12, 2006.
3. ^ "Nonu eyes NRL" Sydney Daily Telegraph, December 18, 2006, retrieved December 18, 2006

External links

• Ma'a Nonu at AllBlacks.com
• Ma'a Nonu profile at Hurricanes.co.nz