Ma'a Nonu's unlikely journey back to an All Blacks jersey has barely started, but his new Super Rugby coach is already impressed.
Leon MacDonald has been in charge of the Blues for less than a month, after sensationally replacing Tana Umaga, who agreed to take a role as an assistant.
MacDonald comes with pedigree though, having coached Tasman through its best period of a 13-year existence, while also assisting Scott Robertson during the Crusaders' successful 2017 Super Rugby campaign.
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Guiding the Blues through yet another re-adjustment period has proved a whirlwind three weeks for the former All Blacks utility, but Nonu’s experience has provided a valuable resource for MacDonald, his coaches and the playing group.
"He's really trying to earn respect through his efforts, which is a fantastic philosophy,” MacDonald said.
"He's been training really hard and imparting his experience on the younger players, and we're benefiting from his involvement already.
"He's come back with a selfless attitude around contributing to this team, which is brilliant for us," said the rookie Super Rugby head coach.
"He's rubbing shoulders with the young guys, he's doing a lot of skill work, and he takes it upon himself to sit down with the guys and give feedback.”
Come the much-anticipated opening-round clash with the Crusaders, MacDonald will be faced with quite a selection drama, given his midfield stocks.
Nonu, Auckland captain TJ Faiane and All Black star Sonny Bill Williams could all potentially wear the number 12 jersey against MacDonald’s former side.
The 56-test All Black won’t be able to evaluate Williams until the new year, but expects the former NRL star to play a major role in the potential resurgence of the once-proud franchise.
But Nonu has certainly laid down an impressive marker that could see him earn the nod come February.
"Sonny's enjoying his break at the moment, but he's been in the gym and around the team a little bit," MacDonald said.
"But having Ma'a here right from the start, he's made his intentions clear, put his head down and got into his work.
"He's also desperate for feedback from the coaching group. He wants to grow his own game and at the moment, he's taking it day by day, week by week and adjusting back to life in New Zealand.
"Rugby is a little different here than in France. The sun's on your back and the ball is being moved around, and from where we're sitting, he's enjoying that."
MacDonald has been delighted with the way his side and coaching team have settled into their work, despite the 11th-hour head-coaching change.
MacDonald's sole focus has been in aligning the coaches and leadership group's ideas on how they want to play, and he is upbeat about how everything has come together.
The Blues were noticeably focused on ball skill drills during Tuesday's training session - a breakaway from the normal pre-season fitness focus.
MacDonald said that was all by design.
"When you have three new coaches all trying to imprint their games on the team, leaving that type of stuff to after Christmas is too late," he said.
"The more we have the ball in hand while we are working on fitness, the better, because we want to play a high-tempo, fitness-based fast game, so it's important to integrate them both."
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