From afar: Super rugby's luckiest player

The Blues franchise seems to be the place where players go when nobody else wants them, but the faith shown in these players doesn't seem to instil loyalty to the struggling team.

Benji Marshall was welcomed into the rugby union fraternity with open arms (and, some would say, open wallets), only for the Blues to be spurned by the league convert midway through the Super rugby season.

It seemed the relationship wasn't what either party wanted and they mutually parted ways.

Likewise, Ma'a Nonu was thrown not one but two lifelines by Sir John Kirwan and Sir Graham Henry, in 2011, when Mark Hammett made the brave move of releasing Nonu from his Hurricanes contract, and again in 2014.

Despite the Blues taking a punt on someone who obviously has a huge impact on team culture (it would appear not necessarily in a good way), Nonu quickly jumped ship to join Jamie Joseph's crew at the Highlanders in 2013, much to the disappointment of the Blues' coaching staff.

Ultimately, his stint in the South didn't go that well, and once again Nonu was looking for somewhere to hang his hat and don his rugby boots.

Not surprisingly, no-one jumped to the front of the queue. In fact, they seemed to be pushing each other to the front and may have had their arm twisted by those in positions of higher power.

Cue the second lifeline from the Blues, which kept Nonu's Super rugby and All Black careers afloat.

What a lucky guy. Many other players have tried the same tactic and had to eat humble pie or disappear overseas in order to keep their families fed.

Nonu has definitely been given special treatment over the years.

In 2011, Nonu was reluctant to leave the city and environment he had grown up in.

That is such a rare quality to see these days when everyone wants to go on an OE, shift from one organisation to get promoted, and change their outlook to avoid becoming stagnant.

But it seems that the initial move, and subsequent moves, helped Nonu gain a broader perspective on life.

He has had a chance to experience other cultures in and out of the rugby environment. He has experienced a range of coaching styles, and had to accept that he wasn't the big cheese in these other franchises.

Overall, his on-field presence and performance has improved and everyone is hoping that, with these different experiences, Nonu's attitude and outlook will not have a negative impact on the Hurricanes' team culture - which, if we are to believe the hype we've been fed through the media, is really humming.

There have been veiled ultimatums directed at Nonu since rumours started flying about his return to the Hurricanes.

In a nutshell, some have explained to him that things have changed, and he must not fall back into his old habits.

As an outsider looking in, it is difficult to understand how Nonu can have such a huge influence on a team.

Perhaps the presence of this man is enough to impact significantly on those around him.

How amazing would it be if that influence was in a positive way?

Perhaps, as a sign of how far he has come, Nonu diplomatically avoided criticising the outgoing Hammett for what he did back in 2011, and actually admitted he may have done Nonu a favour.

He has reassessed his motives for playing and believes he is a better person thanks to the enforced three-year sabbatical from the Hurricanes.

Now he is back in the fold of his family, surrounded by a community that is loyal to its local boy.

There is no doubt that Nonu delivers on the field, and maybe as a result of growing up away from the security blanket of familiarity, he can also make a positive and constructive contribution to the culture and performance of the Hurricanes.

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