OPINION: Temper your excitement about Nonu joining the Sharks

Ma'a Nonu was a prolific player and has a wealth of experience. But the Sharks have had living legends in their ranks for years, and they still struggled. It is easy to get caught up in the hype around All Black great Ma’a Nonu joining the Sharks. The double World Cup winner with 103 Test caps brings a wealth of experience to a union in dire straits, and he is set to work with the coaching staff to support player development and strengthen the team’s high-performance culture in a mentorship and leadership role. It is unlikely the 44-year-old will take the field, unless it’s at a time André Esterhuizen is called up to the Springboks and the Sharks find themselves in yet another injury crisis. Nonu played only 11 matches for Toulon last season, and nine were from the bench. But Nonu’s experience is huge for the Sharks, who finished 10th in the United Rugby Championship and seventh in the Currie Cup last year. They also exited the Champions Cup group stage only to fall in the last 16 of the second-tier Challenge Cup. Head coach JP Pietersen, who took over from John Plumtree mid-season, promised the team would be better next season. The former Springbok wing, who played against Nonu many times, said the rugby icon would lift the standards at the union. Nonu unlikely to make much difference But while the traditionally strong Toulon reached the Champions Cup semi-finals, they fell well short in France’s Top 14, finishing ninth despite the All Black’s aid as both player and mentor. And one must remember that the Sharks have had world-class players and coaches at their disposal for years, and still struggled. Springbok captain and Test centurion Siya Kolisi (now departing for the Stormers) and South Africa’s most capped player Eben Etzebeth are living legends of South African rugby, also with two World Cup trophies under their belts. Vincent Koch, Trevor Nyakane, Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nché, Makazole Mapimpi, and recently departed Lukhanyo Am, are also as experienced as it gets, with one or two World Cup triumphs each. With more than a dozen playing Springboks in their ranks, who have all shared their expertise with Sharks youngsters, experience is not the problem. Springbok coaches with as much pedigree, or more (think mobi-unit coach Duane Vermeulen), have also merely been a call away, should the Sharks ask for help. Nonu was a prolific player and he has incredible experience. But I wonder what more he can add that isn’t already there.