Nonu considers switch to league

Ma'a Nonu on the burst for the Hurricanes against the Waratahs during the Super 12. Herald file picture

Unwanted All Blacks midfielder Ma'a Nonu has revealed he is considering a switch to rugby league.

Not required for the Tri-Nations squad currently in South Africa, Nonu admitted he was weighing up his options after playing for Wellington in the NPC starting this month.

"There are a lot of offers and we are listening very carefully as to what those offers are," Nonu told the Dominion Post said after Wellington's 30-19 pre-season rugby win over Taranaki on Saturday.

"If I have to, I'll play league. I played league at school at lunchtimes.

"But at the moment, for me, I'm just concentrating on the NPC -- but I pretty much have to make a decision by October."

That's when the deadline expires for players to re-sign with the New Zealand Rugby Union.

Recent reports out of Australia said Nonu was courting National Rugby League clubs, while it is also believed he toured the Warriors' headquarters days before the third Lions test in Auckland on July 9.

If he remains with rugby, Nonu has previously raised the possibility of switching his Super 12 allegiance to the Crusaders.

But he quashed rumours of a move to the new Nelson Bays-Marlborough NPC side next season.

Wellington Rugby Union chief executive Malcolm Holmes reiterated earlier comments that he would like Nonu, 23, to stay in the capital.

"Myself and (Wellington coach) John Plumtree have said how important he is to our future and how keen we are to keep him," Holmes said.

"Nothing's changed. He's a Wellington boy. His family and friends are here, he's one of us and we want him to stay.

"But he has to re-sign with the NZRU before he can re-sign with Wellington, so it's more of a New Zealand rugby issue."

The NZRU's success in re-signing Nonu may lie with All Blacks coach Graham Henry, who will pick an expanded 36-man squad for November's tour to Wales, Ireland, England and Scotland.

Henry said during the Lions series he saw Nonu as "the new Tana Umaga" but was reluctant to play the pair alongside each other because they were so similar.

- NZPA