I've been hit with a bo staff (by a trained professional), which is similar enough to nunchucks, and trust me when I say it hurts like bloody Hell. Granted, the sword can cut you, but nunchucks, being solid pieces of wood, will hurt more.
Oh, I don't doubt it. It's just that it seems like the enemy has to be 2 feet in front of you to actually use them, whereas swords - depending on the length, naturally - have a longer reach. It'd be more risky to be Michaelangelo rather than Leonardo, if you get where I'm coming from.