All Black legend forced to wait for second Toulon stint
NEWS: Double Rugby World Cup winner Ma’a Nonu will have to wait for his second Toulon stint as he is in a seven-day quarantine, the French club’s backs coach, Julien Dupuy, said on Wednesday.
Barn-storming former All Black centre Nonu, who reached the Top 14 Final during his previous three-year spell with Toulon, returned to southern France from New Zealand last Friday on short-term deal, at the age of 38.
“Nonu has integrated well. We’re very happy to have him here. He’s smiling and he’s happy,” former France scrumhalf Dupuy said.
“For now, he’s in a seven-day quarantine so he’s training and undergoing medical tests.
“We’re little by little getting him back on track at training,” he added.
Nonu, who last played in Major League Rugby for San Diego Legion earlier this year, joins the three-time European champions after injuries to Julien Heriteau and Anthony Belleau.
The 103-time capped midfielder has fellow New Zealand centre Isaia Toeava and South Africa World Cup-winning lock Eben Etzebeth with him in the squad and could play for Toulon at Agen on November 14.
The side eighth in the table host Brive this weekend without six players away on international duty and after last weekend’s trip to Bayonne was postponed due to cases of COVID-19.
