Toulon have bid an emotional farewell to one of the modern game's great midfielders, with Ma'a Nonu — at 44 — saluted by a haka after what may prove to be the final appearance of an extraordinary career.
The two-time World Cup-winning All Black was honoured alongside fellow departing forward Brian Alainu'uese following Toulon's last home game of the season, a 27-22 win over reigning European champions Bordeaux. As the pair walked from the field, teammates formed up to perform a haka in tribute — a fitting send-off for a player who has carried the All Blacks' legacy into every corner of the rugby world.
Toulon marked the occasion with a message that captured the affection the club holds for him. "You will leave RC Toulon at the end of the season but you will always remain in the Red & Black Family," the French club said.
Nonu's second stint at the Stade Mayol began in June 2025, when he joined as injury cover, and few expected it to stretch as far as it did. He went on to feature in 15 matches, mostly from the bench, scoring four tries. Along the way he wrote another line into the record books, becoming the oldest player ever to appear in the knockout stages of the Champions Cup when he ran out against the Stormers in April.
It is the latest chapter in a career that has spanned New Zealand, Japan, the United States — where he turned out for the San Diego Legion — and France. A cornerstone of the All Blacks' back-to-back World Cup triumphs in 2011 and 2015, Nonu won more than 100 Test caps and redefined the modern inside centre with a blend of power, footwork and an increasingly polished passing and kicking game.
For now, his future remains undecided. There has been no confirmation of retirement, nor of a new club, and at his age each season is taken as it comes. Yet a player of his quality would still be welcomed at clubs around the world, and Nonu is one of the few notable names yet to play in England.
Whatever he decides, Toulon's haka was a reminder of the regard in which he is held. Nonu was not the only departure at the Stade Mayol — Daniel Brennan and Giorgi Javakhia are also leaving, while Italy great Sergio Parisse moves into a coaching role with his country. But it was the sight of the 44-year-old being farewelled in the most New Zealand of ways that lingered longest.
If this was indeed the end, it was an ending befitting a player who gave the game so much for so long.
