Hurricanes captain Conrad Smith admits All Blacks teammate Ma'a Nonu has some work to do if he wants to return to the Wellington-based Super Rugby franchise next season.
Nonu is without a Super Rugby team after the Highlanders confirmed they won't offer the game-breaking All Black a contract.
His playing future has become increasingly murky following successive lacklustre one-season campaigns - with the Blues in 2012 and Highlanders in 2013.
Nonu left the Hurricanes under a cloud in 2011 following a clash with new coach Mark Hammett, who set about changing elements of the Hurricanes' culture.
Speaking as the All Blacks assembled for a two-day camp on Wednesday, Smith told media there was still work to be done if Nonu wanted to slot back into the Hurricanes' line-up.
"That's obviously why it's taken as long as it has, there's a bit to go through," he said.
"I don't know where it's going to end up - I think there'd have to be a bit of shifting on his account."
Smith said he'd first been asked about Nonu's return to the Hurricanes about a month ago.
"I just said in terms of playing, I'd love to have him there.
"But I appreciate there's a bigger picture and a lot of other things to go through."
Smith said Hurricanes coach Mark Hammett had told him Nonu had approached the franchise.
"The issue hadn't come to a head at that stage, but they'd obviously been sounded out and he just sort of wanted to get my opinion. It was literally a two-minute conversation."
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