Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Ma'a Nonu secures Top 14 return aged 42

(Photo by Getty Images)

All Black great Ma’a Nonu has joined his former side Toulon as a medical joker until the end of the season.

ADVERTISEMENT

The 42-year-old will return to the Stade Mayol for his third stint having also re-joined in 2020 as a medical joker.

Nonu spent last year with San Diego Legion in Major League Rugby, but did not continue his stay in the United States for this current campaign.

He linked up with the Toulon staff two weeks ago as he trains to become a coach, but has clearly decided he still has what it takes to help his former side, who he initially joined in 2015 after his 103-cap All Blacks career, in an emergency.

Fixture
Top 14
Lyon
27 - 20
Full-time
Toulon
All Stats and Data

He will join a Toulon side that sit second in the Top 14 table, just three points behind reigning champions Toulouse. The Cote d’Azur outfit are fighting on two fronts this season, with a visit from Saracens in the Investec Champions Cup round of 16 in April.

Toulon face Lyon this weekend in the league, which could see the double World Cup winner mark his return and in the process become the oldest ever Top 14 player, overtaking former tighthead prop Karena Wihongi, who was 40 years and 98 days old when he made his last top-flight appearance for Castres against Agen in January 2020. With Nonu turning 43 in May, he will comfortably beat that record should he play.

There had been speculation in France that Nonu could lace his boots again when he was seen in the Toulon camp, with head coach Pierre Mignoni being coy as to whether the well-travelled Kiwi had actually brought his 23-year professional career to an end.

ADVERTISEMENT

Nonu had made a good impression on the Toulon squad, with France international Esteban Abadie praising his new team-mate’s humility.

“Nonu, I had just met him on Rugby 08!” he said, as reported by French outlet Midi Olympique. “One thing has already struck me… It’s his humility! I had already experienced that with Rokocoko at Racing 92. They are legends who have marked the history of our sport, and they come to the clubs with the humility of a youngster. Both show a lot of respect. It makes you think.”

Related

Download the RugbyPass app now!

News, stats, live rugby and more! Download the new RugbyPass app on the App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android) now!

ADVERTISEMENT

South Africa vs New Zealand | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

Argentina vs Australia | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

Saitama Wildknights vs Tokyo Sungoliath | Japan Rugby League 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

The Game that Made Jonah Lomu

The gruelling reality behind one of the fastest sports in the world | The Report

Boks Office | Episode 40 | The Steven Kitshoff Special

Perry Baker in the house | HSBC Life on Tour | Los Angeles

Confidence knocks and finding your people | Flo Williams | Rugby Rising Locker Room

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

7 Comments
J
Jmann 80 days ago

His partnership with Conrad Smith is unparalleled in the game.

T
Toaster 80 days ago

Yep

It’s been the best midfield combo ever IMO


I can’t also think of a better 12 than Nonu

Skill set

Speed

Power


Marginal tackling technique 😂

T
Teddy 81 days ago

Holy smokes!!!!!


Absolute weapon of a man!

J
JD 81 days ago

Nonu is indestructible. He’d probably still do a very good job as an All Black

T
Tom 81 days ago

Used to amaze me the difference between Nonu in a back shirt and Nonu in a yellow one. Two different players.

Load More Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

S
Solenn Bonnet 4 days ago
Leinster cleanse palette with record URC scoreline against Zebre

My name is Solenn Bonnet, and I am a single mother navigating the challenges of raising my two-year-old child while trying to make ends meet. I came across a trading platform that promised astonishing daily profits of 18%. The allure of such a high return on investment was too tempting to resist, and I found myself drawn into cryptocurrency trading. Excited by the prospect of financial freedom, I invested a significant amount of my savings, totaling over 5.7 BTC. However, what started as a hopeful venture quickly turned into a nightmare. The platform was a scam, and I lost everything I had invested. The emotional toll of this loss was immense; I felt devastated and helpless, struggling to provide for my child and keep up with my bills. In my desperate attempt to recover my funds, I sought help from various recovery experts. Unfortunately, I encountered numerous fraudulent individuals who claimed they could help me retrieve my lost money. Each time I reached out, I was met with disappointment and further scams, which only deepened my despair. Last year was one of the most challenging periods of my life, filled with anxiety and uncertainty about my financial future. Feeling overwhelmed and at a loss, I confided in a close friend from church about my situation. She listened compassionately and shared her own experiences with financial difficulties. Understanding my plight, she introduced me to Tech Cyber Force Recovery, a group of skilled hackers known for their expertise in recovering lost funds. Skeptical yet hopeful, I decided to reach out to them as a last resort. Their services came at a higher cost, but my friend generously offered to help me with a partial payment. I was amazed by how quickly they responded and began the recovery process. Their team was professional, efficient, and incredibly supportive throughout the entire ordeal. To my relief, they successfully recovered more than I had lost to those heartless scammers. This was truly transformative, and I felt a sense of relief and gratitude that I hadn’t felt in a long time. I strongly encourage anyone who has faced similar challenges or fallen victim to scams to reach out to Tech Cyber Force Recovery. If you’ve invested in a fraudulent platform like I did, they are highly capable of helping you reclaim your hard-earned money. Don’t lose hope; there is a way to recover what you’ve lost.

CONSULT TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY

EMAIL.. support@techyforcecyberretrieval.com

WhatsApp.. +15617263697

website.. https://techyforcecyberretrieval.com

Telegram.. +15617263697

0 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Retiring Care and Youngs leave worthy legacy to emerging England scrum-halves Retiring Care and Youngs leave worthy legacy to emerging England scrum-halves
Search