Ma’a Nonu may have been named in the Sharks’ United Rugby Championship squad, but coach JP Pietersen has made it clear that the legendary All Blacks centre’s primary role is to remain a mentor to the next generation.
The 103-Test New Zealander is available to play only if the Sharks suffer a serious injury crisis, with Pietersen satisfied that he has enough options in midfield for the start of the URC.
For now, Nonu’s focus is on helping the Sharks’ young backs — and he has established an early-morning “club” that meets at 6.30am every day.
“Ma’a is still a mentor and he’s helping the centres with preparation and skill sets,” Pietersen said.
“They’ve got a 6.30am class every morning.
“He’s been a massive help, with (utility back) Zekhethelo Siyaya too, just to upskill him and speed up the process of learning faster and gaining experience off the field before he gets on the field.”
Asked whether Nonu remained available to play in the URC, Pietersen said: “He’s available if we’ve got a lot of serious injuries. But at the moment, we’re all good.
“We’ve got Andre Esterhuizen, Jurenzo Julius and Murray Koster in the centres, and Suleiman Hartzenberg, who’s joined us from the Stormers.”
Nonu’s arrival in Durban has nevertheless become one of the most intriguing aspects of the Sharks’ preparations.
The former All Blacks great has immersed himself in the club’s high-performance programme and has worked closely with its emerging backs, sharing the knowledge accumulated during a career that included two Rugby World Cup triumphs.
Pietersen, who played against Nonu during their Super Rugby careers, says the relationship benefits both the young players and the Sharks coaching staff.
“Ma’a slotted in perfectly,” he said.
“It’s great to have him. I’m obviously mates with him going back to Super Rugby, so it’s good to have him, and he can also give me feedback on my side too.
“They’ve got a club now. They meet early every morning in the gym – Ma’a and Jurenzo, Murray and Litelihle Bester, among others.
“They’re in the gym, they do some skills and passing and just talk about rugby.”
Pietersen believes Nonu’s understanding of the finer details of professional rugby could make the biggest difference to the Sharks’ young players.
“He’s helping the young guns a lot with attacking space, understanding space, and the most important thing is preparation,” Pietersen said.
“How do you prepare before you arrive at the stadium? Are you coming with a plan, or if you don’t have a plan?
“He’s challenging them around being professional. Something that’s still a learning for most of us,” he said.
The impact extends beyond the Sharks’ young backs. Loose forward Phepsi Buthelezi says Nonu has also been helping the forwards with extra work, while his extraordinary commitment has made an impression on the entire squad.
“He takes our forwards for extras (skills training). He’s so committed to the game,” Buthelezi said.
