All Blacks midfielder Ma’a Nonu admits he’s feeling just a touch of angst as he prepares for his first Super Rugby season away from the Hurricanes.
Nonu joined his Blues team-mates this week after returning to New Zealand from a post-World Cup stint with Japanese club Ricoh Black Rams.
After nine seasons and 110 matches for the Hurricanes, he’s enjoying the challenge of adapting to new surroundings, although it can be disorientating.
“It’s good in terms of being in a place where you’re unsure of what’s going to happen,” the 66-Test All Black said on Wednesday.
“I’m nervous at the same time and a little scared, because I haven’t settled into Auckland yet.”
Nonu, 29, arrived from Japan last week in time to watch the Blues’ season-opening loss to the Crusaders at Eden Park and he recalled the feelings he had pre-game during his Hurricanes days.
“Normally on a Hurricanes bus, you’re feeling a bit of nerves or the butterflies,” he said.
“It’s kind of nervous in a different way, joining the Blues team, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Two of his Black Rams team-mates, Tamati Ellison and England loose forward James Haskell, both played in the Highlanders’ 23-19 win over the Chiefs last Saturday, just two days after flying in.
However, Nonu wasn’t considered for selection against the Crusaders or for Friday night’s match against the Chiefs to allow him to rest a couple of niggling injuries and to get up to speed with the Blues set-up.
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He was born 1905, 1904 or 1908 according to various reports, in Wairoa, Hawkes Bay, and is remembered as one of the great Māori players.
