The absence on Friday night of the great Richie McCaw has grabbed the initial headlines for the All Blacks v Tonga match, but to me the 100th test for Ma'a Nonu is of far greater significance.
This a bloke who since debuting in the black jersey in 2003, in a losing side against England, has struggled, for whatever reason, to be loved by the New Zealand rugby public. However despite the eye liner, yellow cards, and dismissal from his spiritual home of the Hurricanes, he has emerged as this country's best ever second five. That's a bold statement I know and very subjective, but tell me who is or was better?
There are a number of candidates, but none have had the ability of Nonu to change the course of a game, in either defence or attack, in the twinkling of an eye. Few have had as much spotlight on them over the past 13 seasons as he has attracted.
He has been the classic hero/villain in any number of games but one thing that will never be disputed - his utter and total dedication to the game and to the team he always aspired to play for - the All Blacks.
Being from Wellington, his boyhood hero was Tana Umaga and he tells several wonderful stories about how he idolised and hero worshiped the great man, as many schoolboys are wont to do. Eventually his dreams were fulfilled and he got to play with Umaga at provincial, Super Rugby and All Black level.
