All Blacks star Ma'a Nonu delivers ref-bomb

SAY WHAT? Hurricanes midfield back Ma'a Nonu is yellow-carded.

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EXCLUSIVE: Ma'a Nonu has gone from effing mad to reffing mad.

The star All Blacks second-five, who was censured for a foul-mouthed outburst in an interview during the Super 14, says he's being victimised by Kiwi whistle-blowers who have been quick to yellow card him.

"I got two this year (in the Super 14) but they were both pretty marginal,'' Nonu told Sunday News.

"One (against the Lions) was because I was offside and man I wasn't offside. So that's bullshit, getting a yellow card for being offside is stupid.

"Then there was one in South Africa (against the Cheetahs) when I picked up Juan Smith and it was bang, yellow.

"Most of the time I've been given yellow cards it's come from New Zealand referees. I just think there's been a problem there with me among the Kiwi referees.''

While Nonu has been on the receiving end of sinbinnings at Super Rugby and provincial level, in 51 tests for the All Blacks he's only once been shown a yellow card (against Wales in 2004).

"Through the early stages of my playing career they would just dish it out to me,'' he said in reference to the way he believes referees have treated him.

"I don't know whether it was because they were intimidated by me  that I was someone who was there in their face all the time.

"I had a reputation and I think referees went into games with the attitude that if Ma'a does something wrong, bang, yellow card.

"I thought that was always the case. I hated referees, I hated them all the time, especially Kiwi ones.

"You watch a second division game, there are referees that let the play go on and that's rugby.

"These days if I offload the ball and it's in line then bounces a couple of times, they'll go it was a forward pass.

"I think they've pinged me all the time and I've always hated referees.''

- © Fairfax NZ News