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'The legend is back': Ma'a Nonu extends his career at 41

Michael Curry of the Colorado Raptors and Ma'a Nonu of the San Diego Legion embrace after their match during the Major League Rugby Vegas Weekend at Sam Boyd Stadium on February 16, 2020, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Stuart Walmsley/Getty Images)

All Black great Ma’a Nonu has extended his glittering career into another year by resigning with Major League Rugby outfit San Diego Legion in the United States.

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The 103-cap All Black, 41, won the Western Conference in the MLR last season, eventually losing to the New England Free Jacks in the final. Despite turning 42 during the campaign, he will be seeking to go one further this season and add more silverware to his burgeoning trophy cabinet

Head coach and director Of rugby Danny Lee said after Nonu’s resigning: “The Legend is back for another year. We are thrilled to have Ma’a back for the 2024 MLR season after an outstanding 2023. Ma’a had a major influence on our team last season on and off the field and was a major factor in us having a very successful season, playing in the MLR final and us breaking Club and League records along the way. We go again.”

This announcement comes just weeks after San Diego confirmed the signing of Australia centurion Matt Giteau, who played alongside Nonu at Toulon.

After recruiting the Wallaby, Lee said: “We are over the moon to secure Matt’s services for the upcoming season. To have a highly experienced international player of Matt’s caliber join the Legion is something very exciting. He is a world-class player who will bring an incredible wealth of knowledge, a competitive attitude, and a drive to succeed with him that will no doubt spread throughout the squad. We can’t wait to get the former MLR winner onboard.”

Alongside the deals for Nonu and Giteau, captain and former Scotland international Blair Cowan also signed a new contract on the west coast recently.

The MLR season gets underway in March, with San Diego travelling to the Starfire Sports Complex to face the Seattle Seawolves in their opening game of the season.

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Comments

4 Comments
r
rstransk1 205 days ago

Bring Nonu back again next year!! We need another run at the crown. And we love his family!

R
Red and White Dynamight 398 days ago

GOAT 12

P
Pecos 401 days ago

Not sure whether to laugh or cry.

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M
MS 3 hours ago
Why Jac Morgan is a British and Irish Lions Test starter

To be perfectly honest with you, Morgan’s stats don’t seem particularly convincing for a prospective Lions Test Match starting Seven.


He’s one of Wales’ principle carriers, and he’s effective enough in that role. But that’s not the role of a Test Match Seven. It simply isn’t.


In fact, given one of Wales’ games has been against Italy, yet Morgan has a tackle completion rate of only 85% - and worse not one single turnover to his name, if anything those stats actually spell out the reasons why Morgan SHOULDN’T be the Lions Test Seven - or even in competition for that spot.


The series will be against an Australia team keen to compete hard on the deck. The Lions will have their pick of ball carrying B/S Flankers, Eights, and Twelves. Indeed, due to the way the modern game is played even Props and Hookers in that Lions squad will be ferocious ball carrying options. So they simply do not need a dedicated carrying option off Seven.


I’m actually rather surprised the author used those stats to support his argument as that table achieves the complete opposite of the desired effect.


I’m afraid tackle completion rates alone, especially without indicating if they were single vs double tackles, or dominant, are next to useless.


I would be curious to see ‘dominant tackle’ stats, as well as tackles completed one-on-one vs as a pair. I get the impression Wales are sending two/three tacklers into the contact area each time - and even then not necessarily stopping their opponent.

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