All Blacks great and double World Cup winner Ma'a Nonu visited his former Top League club Black Rams Tokyo today.
Nonu, 42, who played for Major League Rugby (MLR) outfit San Diego Legion last season alongside former Suntory fly-half Matt Giteau, played for the Rams in the 2011-2012 Top League season.
The Hurricanes legend scored six tries in 11 appearances for the Japanese side who has a heavy Kiwi influence.
Komazawa-based Black Rams are led by former New Zealand squad member Tabai Matson who represented Fiji at the 1999 World Cup.
Former All Blacks prop Carl Hoeft, who also played at rugby’s fourth showpiece event in Wales, is the club’s assistant coach having previously spent five seasons with Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars.
The Rams’ raft of former New Zealand internationals includes current All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson and Caleb Clarke’s father Eroni Clarke while veteran scrum-half TJ Perenara has agreed a three-year deal to join the club from the 2024-25 season.
Wellington-born Nonu, who played 103 All Blacks Tests and scored 31 tries, met the current Black Rams coaching team and number eight Nathan Hughes (far right) who scored 12 tries last season.
Rams officials, who worked with Nonu during his spell at the club, said they were ‘surprised to see that he looked the same as he did 12 years ago’.
The Rams opened their pre-season schedule with a 31-43 loss against Shizuoka Blue Revs on 21 September and host division two side Hanazono Kintetsu Liners this Saturday.
Pictures courtesy of Black Rams Tokyo
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