All Black's language shocks radio listeners

All Blacks and Hurricanes centre Ma'a Nonu. Photo / Getty Images

All Blacks and Hurricanes centre Ma'a Nonu has today apologised for an expletive-filled post-match interview after his team's dramatic win over the Chiefs on Saturday night.

"After a tough game there was a bit of emotion flying around," he told reporters at Hurricanes training.

"I guess, being a professional sportsman you've got to be responsible for what you say. At the end of the day it hurts a lot of people."

Radio Sport's "sideline eye" man Daniel McHardy approached Nonu for the standard "how do you feel?" interview immediately after the Hurricanes' come-from-behind 33-27 victory at Westpac Stadium in Wellington.

McHardy could hardly have expected what he was in for.

Nonu's brief outburst included the 'F' bomb being dropped no less than seven times.

In one particularly colourful segment of the chat, for example:

"After they got a lead of I think it was 24-8 or something, ****! we were on our tryline and ****! everyone's just, what was hitting us. And 60 minutes later we come on top and we scored a ****! last minute try to get a ****! bonus point."

And this:

"Last minute penalty two minutes to go and it's like ****! it's all over again. We get a steal from our line Hosea (Gear, Hurricanes winger) makes a big break behind their line he misses the kick, ***! score after the hooter's gone," he said.

Radio talkback lines have been jammed today with callers expressing opinions on the appropriateness - or otherwise - of Nonu's colourful terminology.

Ma'a Nonu has been a "bad boy" of the Super 14 this season.

In the early rounds he was sinbinned or cited in three consecutive Hurricanes matches, all against South African sides, for the following offences:

* a cynical offside against the Lions in Wellington;
* a spear tackle on Cheetahs captain Juan Smith in Bloemfontein; and
* a dangerous tackle on Stormers first-five Peter Grant, in Cape Town.

Today Nonu was full of remorse for the content of Saturday night's radio interview.

"It's a shame it happened and I just want to apologise to all the fans out there and a lot of listeners . . . it wasn't meant to be like that, but it was a bit of intense emotion coming out."

Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper said Nonu has been sanctioned by the team, but he wouldn't reveal the details.

- NZHERALD STAFF, additional reporting from Newstalk ZB