Rugby: Savea and Nonu - Hurricanes brothers

Ardie Savea (L) is a happy man as Ma'a Nonu's Hurricanes teammate. Photo / Getty Images

After idolising Ma'a Nonu for years, Ardie Savea can barely believe they have become teammates.

Savea has posted before-and-after photos of him and his Hurricanes teammate Nonu on Instagram. The first photo shows Nonu with his arm around Savea when he was a schoolboy. The second photo, taken recently, shows the pair in Hurricanes gear striking the same pose.

At 21 years old, Savea is 11 years Nonu's junior, but the two are now peers on the field for a Hurricanes side that has got off to a flying start this season.

In the Instagram post, Savea said: "Watching this guy @maanonu play rugby when I was a little kid to playing alongside him with the @hurricanesrugby brothers.Unreal!!"

In the time since the first photo was taken, Nonu has gone on to become one of the All Blacks' most experienced and important players. He has racked up 94 tests in his international career, and was an integral part of the side that won the 2011 World Cup.

Savea is still a rugby greenhorn by comparison, but is steadily going about fashioning an impressive career for himself at the Hurricanes.