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Thread: Ma'a Nonu signs with Highlanders

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    Immortal Contributor The InnFORCEr's Avatar
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    Ma'a Nonu signs with Highlanders

    Ma'a Nonu has signed with the Highlanders.

    The All Blacks midfielder this afternoon confirmed he will leave the Blues after just one season and join All Blacks team-mates such as Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock, Aaron Smith and Hosea Gear at the Dunedin-based franchise.

    Former All Blacks lock Brad Thorn is also in the process of signing with the team that is coached by Jamie Joseph.

    Nonu, who has played under Joseph with Wellington, said the major reason for signing with the Highlanders was because it was the "best decision'' for his family.

    He said the "finer details'' are being worked out by his manager, the New Zealand Rugby Union and the Highlanders.

    Nonu's decision to leave the Blues will not thrill new coach John Kirwan who hoped to build his backline around the big second five-eighth.

    "Just on the Blues, I really respect 'JK' and I wish him all the best but right now I think this is the best decision for me and my family,'' Nonu said.

    Nonu said he spoke Kirwan last week.

    "As I said before it has got nothing to do with the Blues. It is a decision I have made for myself and my family.''

    Although it was understood Nonu had signed with the Blues for next season, he appears to have an exit clause that allowed him to join the Highlanders.

    When quizzed on this, he stated: "You will have to ask the manager about the contract system mate. I just play footy.''

    Speaking in the foyer of the All Blacks hotel in Christchurch, where they are based before flying to Brisbane on Thursday, Nonu fielded just a few questions before exiting the media scrum.

    The informal press conference lasted less than two minutes before he politely terminated it.

    His declaration to remain in New Zealand is good news for All Blacks coach Steve Hansen who will have been left with a gaping hole in his backline after Sonny Bill Williams defected to Japan earlier this year.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/s...th-Highlanders

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    Immortal Contributor The InnFORCEr's Avatar
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    The Highlanders will be a good team this year IMHO.

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    Champion GAFFA's Avatar
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    hes going for the full set maybe?

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    “Everyone knows whether it’s rugby, politics or whatever, front-rowers should rule the world, so to have a hooker at the helm makes sense,” Nathan Charles Western Force & Wallabies Hooker.

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    go the mighty Highlanders!

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    Veteran beige's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by The InnFORCEr View Post
    The Highlanders will be a good team this year IMHO.
    Well I can guarantee they won't lose another game this year!

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    Quote Originally Posted by The InnFORCEr View Post
    The Highlanders will be a good team this year IMHO.
    Thats what they said about the Blue slast year wasnt it? And about the tahs for about 100 years.

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    “Everyone knows whether it’s rugby, politics or whatever, front-rowers should rule the world, so to have a hooker at the helm makes sense,” Nathan Charles Western Force & Wallabies Hooker.

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    Immortal Contributor The InnFORCEr's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by beige View Post
    Well I can guarantee they won't lose another game this year!
    I see what I did there

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    Immortal Contributor The InnFORCEr's Avatar
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    So Genia is not the only one!


    Nonu went back on agreement says Kirwan

    Blues coach Sir John Kirwan says Ma'a Nonu has gone back on a handshake agreement that he would stay with the team next year.

    Nonu announced today that he will be playing for the Highlanders next year, walking out on the final year of his contract with the Blues.

    It has left Kirwan wounded, not only because Nonu has done a u-turn, but because he is left drastically short of experience in his backline next season, deciding to let other teams pick up midfielders because he thought he had Nonu.

    "I am obviously disappointed," Kirwan said from the team's Auckland training base today.

    "The lateness in the decision has really put us in a difficult situation, but we are going to have a young, exciting young team and we'll move on.

    Kirwan went to Wellington before the All Blacks went to Argentina and South Africa to talk to him about staying with the team next year and he said he came away from that meeting believing he'd got his man.

    "That is one of the most disappointing things," Kirwan said.

    "I went down to Wellington and came home with 100 per cent [belief] that he was coming to us and it has been difficult for us because we changed what we were doing over the three-week period and made some decisions.

    "Before the deadline at 5pm [on Friday] I got another phone call and everything changed pretty quick."

    Kirwan said Nonu called him afterwards to say he had concerns about things that had gone on at the team this year.

    "He did ring me an hour and a half later, saying that he had changed his mind and he wanted to talk to me about a few things that had happened in the past," Kirwan said.

    "I said the most important thing is that you've got to do what's best for you or your family, which means I want people who want to be here.

    "We then decided to give him a bit more time to think about it and he's come back and he's moved on."

    Seeing as Kirwan wasn't with the Blues this year it is surprising that Nonu would want to bring up those issues with the new coach and Kirwan said he wanted to create the best environment possible for the second-five.

    "I said that that is my responsibility, to make sure that everyone around you puts you into the best position to play the game to the best of your ability," he said.

    "This is not about the Blues, this is about each individual player being the best they can be.

    "I am not going to stand here and let anyone talk badly about my franchise.

    "This was a situation that wasn't our fault and I am disappointed about what's happened from a personal point of view and a contractual point of view.

    "So the Blues have been exposed and we are going to cop it and move on."


    http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/s...nt-says-Kirwan

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    theres a reason wellington parted ways with him and hore..

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    a lot of those players at the Highlanders had a lot to do with Jamie and the Wellington Lions - these sorts of things happen. Wherever Nonu is the team will be better for it - with Hore,Thorn, Woodcock and now Nonu on their playing roster there is a feeling of solidarity and strength that they haven't had for awile - those four have played in about 300 tests test matches alone Then throw in Aaron and Ben Smith, Tamati Ellison, Adam Thomson, and Hosea Gear and the jersey is starting to look black....

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    Immortal Contributor jono's Avatar
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    Sounds like the blues didnt abide by the gospel according to nonu. So he did the same thingche did to the canes and bailed.

    Petulant shit

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    Nonu cites family reasons for move south

    AAP,
    The West Australian
    October 16, 2012, 1:34 pm

    All Black Ma'a Nonu cites family reasons for his decision to play his Super Rugby for the Highlanders next season.

    The 72-Test midfielder, who spent this year with the Blues, says the final details of his new contract are still to be completed.

    But he says he's excited to be continuing his career in New Zealand.

    In a coup for the Highlanders, the 30-year-old Nonu follows All Blacks' prop Tony Woodcock in making the move from the Blues.

    Former Crusaders' lock and 2011 World Cup winner Brad Thorn is rumoured to be heading to the Highlanders as well.

    However, the loss of Nonu leaves a big hole in the backline options for new Blues' coach John Kirwan.

    "I'm really excited about the prospect for me and my family," Nonu told journalists on Tuesday.

    "Just on the Blues, I really respect JK. I wish him all the best but, right now, I think this is the best decision for me and my family."

    Nonu is in camp in Christchurch with the All Blacks ahead of the final Bledisloe Cup Test against Australia in Brisbane on Saturday.

    He said he spoke to Kirwan last week about his plans.

    "It's got nothing to do with the Blues," he said.

    "It's a decision I've made for myself and my family."

    Nonu joined the Blues after 110 appearances for the Hurricanes over nine seasons.
    His departure from the Wellington-based franchise came after differences with coach Mark Hammett.

    http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...or-move-south/

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    Legend Contributor brokendown gunfighter's Avatar
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    maybe the family want to live in sub zero temperatures

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    Immortal Contributor The InnFORCEr's Avatar
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    All Maoris like to cold weather don't they Gunny?

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    Quote Originally Posted by brokendown gunfighter View Post
    maybe the family want to live in sub zero temperatures
    Nothing wrong with sub-zero temperatures. Keeps the Speights at optimum quaffing temperature.

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