IF YOU GOT up early this morning to watch the Hurricanes host the Chiefs in Super Rugby, you were likely disappointed to see Sonny Bill Williams not starting for the visitors.
Perhaps The42 tempted fate a little by billing the contest as an All Blacks midfield shootout between SBW and Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith earlier in the week, because the Chiefs star was withdraw with an injury yesterday.
However, in Williams’ absence, Nonu continued his Super Rugby renaissance (or continued to finally care, in other words) by scoring two crucial tries to give the league leaders a 22-18 win.
His first effort was classic Nonu, using his powerful frame to explode through a gap close to the line.
And his second, which sealed the game, showed excellence awareness and pace to finish off this intercept.
Let’s take a moment to remember that Toulon will potentially have Nonu at 12 and Mathieu Bastareaud at 13 next season.
This is probably how Irish rugby fans feel right now.
