Former All Blacks great Ma'a Nonu provided an emotional moment before making his return to face his old side as the Sharks suffered a heavy defeat in Durban. Nonu, who recently joined the South African side, was named on the bench for the clash at Kings Park but was involved in a memorable moment before kick-off.
Solo haka before kick-off
After New Zealand performed their traditional Ka Mate haka, the All Blacks stood in a line and watched on as Nonu performed a solo version of Kapa o Pango. The 44-year-old, who won 103 caps for New Zealand and was part of two Rugby World Cup-winning squads, has a long history with the All Blacks.
Sharks trail heavily
But there was little time for sentiment once the match got under way. Nonu had to wait until the 62nd minute to enter the contest, by which point the Sharks were already trailing 35-0. He did make his presence felt early on with a crunching tackle on All Blacks fly-half Ruben Love, but was unable to inspire a remarkable comeback in the wet conditions at Kings Park.
All Blacks complete tour sweep
New Zealand added three more tries after Nonu's introduction to complete a commanding 54-0 victory. The result means the All Blacks have now won both matches on their South African tour, following their 38-21 victory over the Stormers in their opening game. For Nonu, however, the occasion was about more than the result, with his solo haka providing a striking reminder of his enduring connection with the All Blacks.
