Ma'a Nonu
As of March 22, 2013 National: December 1, 2012
Ma'a Allan Nonu ( born May 21, 1982 in Wellington, New Zealand) is a New Zealand rugby union player with Samoan roots on the position of the inner three- quarter, but he can also play as a winger district. Nonu is known for his dreadlocks and his former preference on the field to wear eyeliner.
He is a devout Mormon.
Background
Playful he is known for his explosiveness and his powerful attacks and his breaking through the lines of defense. Graham Henry, coach of the All Blacks, described him as "probably the best line breaker in this sport in this country." Henry and his predecessor John Mitchell have Nonu long time mainly used as a key player off the bench, so it was only four of his first twelve matches in the starting lineup.
Nonu has similar attack skills such as former All Black Tana Umaga inner three-quarters. How Umaga is Nonu an excellent crash ball runner, which by its ability to break through the defensive line and its external three-quarters to make room, distinguished. Graham Henry described Nonu 2005 as a " young Tana ", giving the impression was conveyed that Nonu is established as the successor to Umaga. This comparison was later confirmed by the assistant coach Wayne Smith.
Career
The beginnings
Nonu visited the Strathmore Park Primary School and Rongotai College in Wellington. 1999/2000 he played for the school choice and 2001 for the U19 Wellington.
Professional career and the All Blacks
In 2002 he made his debut for his home province of Wellington in the National Provincial Championship and 2003 for the Hurricanes franchise in the Super 12 with their managed Nonu semi-finals, but where they lost against the Crusaders. As he excelled in the Super 12, he was appointed the same year to the national team and played his first international match against England on 14 June 2003. In 2004, he played further sevens rugby for the New Zealand national rugby team 7 Series.
2003 Nonu was not nominated for the Tri Nations; Tana Umaga 's preferred those responsible, Aaron Mauger and Dan Carter as the inner three-quarters. For the World Cup 2003 he was back in the squad and played in the preliminary round against Canada, Italy and Tonga. His first international try he scored against Canada and impressed in the general attack by his breakthroughs and large stature. However, his skills on the defensive could not reach the level of his offensive game. This, together with its international inexperience to the fact that he was selected despite an injury of Umaga not for the knockout matches.
Nonu was not nominated again in 2004 for the Tri Nations as a result of poor form in the Super 12. On the basis of good performance for Wellington in the National Provincial Championship, he was then nominated for the November 2004 tour and on as a substitute in all four internationals.
The majority of the Super 12 season 2005 played Nonu as an outer three-quarters, as Conrad Smith was preferred as a partner of Tana Umaga on the inner three-quarter position. Nonu succeeded this season a hat-trick against the Brumbies, the winner of the Super 12 season 2004. Hurricanes came into the semi-finals, where they lost big but against the Crusaders with 7:47. Nonu was a substitute in the second match against the British and Irish Lions and Sitiveni Sivivatu replaced on the outer three-quarter position. Once again, he was not nominated for the Tri Nations 2005.
The captain of the Wellington Lions, Tana Umaga, stepped forward to take care of himself, not in the 2005 season of the National Provincial Championship at. In his absence Nonu was appointed captain and established himself this season as one of the most dangerous inner three-quarters in New Zealand. He was appointed for the November 2005 tour, substitute against Scotland and Wales, and won his third installation in the starting lineup during the match against Ireland.
2006 pulled the Hurricanes for the first and only time in its history the final of the Super 14. Nonu lost with his crew but again against the Crusaders. Then he missed due to injury again the selection for the Tri Nations. Due to its absence in the Tri Nations, he was able to start from the beginning for the Wellington Lions in the Air New Zealand Cup, which their performance improved significantly. With it came Nonu 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009, four times the final of the Championship, but they failed, curiously, every time. In the November tour of 2006 he was back in the national team. In 2007 he was again not nominated for the Tri Nations and has not been appointed to the World Cup squad, as the responsible Luke McAlister, Aaron Mauger, Conrad Smith and Isaia Toeava preferred as an internal three-quarters.
2008 Nonu came with the Hurricanes back into the semi-finals of the Super 14, which they lost again against the Crusaders. He was considered for the Tri Nations and helped the All Blacks to win their ninth Tri-Nations title. With Wellington, he won 20 September 2008 against Auckland Ranfurly Shield to what the team was able to defend until August 29, 2009 six times before losing it to Canterbury. Furthermore, he participated in the November tour in part, on which he was placed three times in the starting lineup, could lay against Ireland, England and Wales attempts and was praised as one of the best players in the tour.
In 2009, he lost to the Hurricanes the semi-finals of the Super 14 against the Chiefs. In addition, he was able to defend his starting place in the All Blacks. In 2010 he was injured but at the end of Super 14 season, so he could not compete in the June internationals. After his recovery, he was able in just 70 minutes, which he took up at the regional club level, showing its shape and got a regular place for the Tri Nations 2010.