Top 14: Double world champion with the All Blacks, Ma'a Nonu returns to Toulon as a medical joker at 42 years old

He's not done with the oval ball yet. Aged 42, Ma'a Nonu, the former All Blacks centre with 103 caps, double world champion in 2011 and 2015, has signed as a medical joker until the end of the season at RC Toulon, where he has already played twice, announced the Rade club on Tuesday 25 February on the social network X (formerly Twitter).

"Because a season is played until the end and to compensate for certain long-term absences, the RCT will be able to count on an experienced reinforcement to accompany the group in the coming weeks", declared the club in a post, accompanied by a video where the team manager Mathieu Bastareaud hands the RCT jersey with the number 12 to Nonu.

Ma'a Nonu already played for the Rouge et Noir from 2015 to 2018, and was a starter alongside Mathieu Bastareaud in the Top 14 final lost against Clermont in 2017. Having left for New Zealand and then the United States after 2018, he had already returned to the Rade during the 2020-2021 season, before playing for the San Diego Legion in the American championship.

At 42, Ma'a Nonu becomes the oldest player in the French championship, ahead of Stade Français' Argentinian pillar Francisco Gomez Kodela (39 years old). In Toulon, the New Zealander is notably making up for the absences of Setariki Tuicuvu, Gabin Villière and Antoine Frisch, all three injured and absent during the victory against Stade Français on Saturday (24-6).

Second in the Top 14, Toulon is battling with Toulouse and Bordeaux-Bègles for the first two places, directly qualifying for the semi-finals. Eliminated in the play-off by La Rochelle last season, the RCT has not reached the last four of the French championship since its final loss in 2017.