Jonah Tali Lomu,
MNZMThe New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of chivalry established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
(born 12 May 1975) is a New Zealand
rugby unionRugby union is a full contact team sport, a form of football which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. It is played with an oval-shaped ball, outdoors on a level field, usually with a grass surface, 100 m...
footballer. He had sixty-three
capsA cap is an appearance for a select team, such as a school, county or international team in sports. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of Association Football...
as an
All BlackThe New Zealand national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, is the representative side of New Zealand in rugby union. Rugby union is regarded as the country's national sport...
after debuting in 1994. He is generally regarded as the first true global superstar of rugby union. One of the sport's most intimidating players on the field, he has had a huge impact on the game. He was inducted to the
International Rugby Hall of FameThe International Rugby Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for rugby union. It was created in 1997 in New Zealand and is run as a charitable trust with an address at Chiswick in London. Most of the trustees are also inductees. IRHOF accepts new inductees every two years...
on 9 October 2007.
Lomu burst onto the international rugby scene during the 1994
Hong Kong SevensThe Hong Kong Sevens is considered the premier tournament on the IRB Sevens World Series in rugby union. It is held annually at the last weekend of March in Hong Kong and is organised by the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union...
tournament and was widely acknowledged to be the top player at the
1995 World CupThe 1995 Rugby World Cup was the third Rugby World Cup. It was hosted by South Africa, and had the distinction of being the first Rugby World Cup in which every match was held in one country...
in South Africa even though New Zealand lost the championship game to the host Springboks. At one time Lomu was considered 'rugby union's biggest drawcard', swelling attendances at any match where he appeared. He has played for several provincial teams, in the
Super RugbyThe Super 14 is the largest rugby union football club championship in the southern hemisphere, consisting of four teams from Australia , five teams from New Zealand , and five teams from...
and
NPCThe Air New Zealand Cup is New Zealand's annual professional domestic rugby union competition. It was founded in 2006 with 14 teams, after the NPC was split into two separate competitions. The other 12 provincial teams from the NPC now compete in the amateur Heartland Championship. It is sponsored...
competitions. These included the Auckland Blues, Waikato Chiefs and Wellington Hurricanes, and Counties Manukau, Wellington Lions and later
North HarbourThe North Harbour Rugby Union , commonly referred to colloquially as North Harbour or simply Harbour, is a provincial rugby team which competes in the Air New Zealand Cup, the successor to the country's former domestic competition, the National Provincial Championship .-Area:Harbour Rugby...
. He made a comeback after undergoing a
kidney transplantKidney transplantation or renal transplantation is the organ transplant of a kidney in a patient with end-stage renal disease. Kidney transplantation is typically classified as deceased-donor or living-donor transplantation depending on the source of the recipient organ...
in 2004. In 1996 he married South African Tanya Rutter; they officially divorced in 2000. He married Fiona Taylor in 2003 and divorced her in 2008. He is officially the
Rugby World CupThe Rugby World Cup is the premier international rugby union competition. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the International Rugby Board , and is contested by the men's national teams. The inaugural tournament was held in 1987, hosted by both Australia and New Zealand, and is...
all-time top try scorer with 15 tries.
He is the cousin of
National Rugby LeagueThe National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL competition is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
footballers
Andrew LomuAndrew Lomu is an Australian professional rugby league footballer. He previously played for the Sydney Roosters, Cronulla Sharks, Canberra Raiders and for the Brisbane Broncos in the National Rugby League competition...
and
John TamanikaJohn Tamanika is a rugby league player for the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the National Rugby League. He plays as a centre or on the wing.-Career:...
.
Early career
Lomu represented New Zealand in the national under-19 side in 1993, as well as the under-21 side the following year. He first came to international attention at the 1994
Hong Kong SevensThe Hong Kong Sevens is considered the premier tournament on the IRB Sevens World Series in rugby union. It is held annually at the last weekend of March in Hong Kong and is organised by the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union...
tournament, as part of a fearsome team including
Eric RushEric James Rush is a New Zealand rugby union footballer and a Rugby Sevens legend, arguably one of the greatest Sevens players to grace the game....
and
Christian CullenChristian Mathias Cullen is a former rugby union footballer who played most of his rugby at fullback for the All Blacks, for the Hurricanes in the Super 12, and for Manawatu, Wellington and later Munster at first-class level. During his career he became known by the nickname, the Paekakariki Express...
.
At the age of 19 years and 45 days, Jonah Lomu became the youngest All Black test player as he debuted on the wing against
FranceThe France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship...
in 1994, breaking a record that had been held by
Edgar WrigleyEdgar Wrigley was a New Zealand rugby footballer who represented his country in both rugby union and rugby league.-Rugby Football:Wrigley played rugby union for the Red Star club in Masterton and between 1903 and 1907 he played 18 games for Wairarapa...
since 1905. The match was played at Lancaster Park in
ChristchurchChristchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area. It is one third the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of Christchurch.The city was named by...
, and the All Blacks lost 22–8. Lomu's performance was middling, however he performed well enough to ensure his selection the following week. The match was the second against France and played at
Eden ParkEden Park is the biggest sports ground in Auckland, New Zealand for both rugby union during winter, and cricket in summer . To accommodate both sports, the cricket pitch is removable...
in Auckland; France won again, 23–20.
1995 World Cup
Despite having just two All Black caps, Lomu was included in the squad for the
1995 World CupThe 1995 Rugby World Cup was the third Rugby World Cup. It was hosted by South Africa, and had the distinction of being the first Rugby World Cup in which every match was held in one country...
in South Africa. Jonah stunned international rugby audiences (and unsuspecting players) at the 1995 World Cup, when he scored seven tries in five matches, including four in the semi-final against
EnglandThe England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 25 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam. England also compete for the Calcutta Cup...
. In his first ever World Cup match, against
IrelandThe Ireland rugby union team represents the island of Ireland, both Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in rugby union. Ireland are the current Six Nations Champions...
in
JohannesburgJohannesburg also known as Jozi or Jo'burg, is the largest city in South Africa. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, he scored two tries in the 43–19 win. In the following match—against
WalesThe Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
—Lomu was replaced during the game, and did not score any tries in the 34–9 victory. He was rested for the final pool match against
JapanFor the Japanese Rugby League team see Japan national rugby league team.Japan are traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia but has both enjoyed and endured mixed results against non-Asian teams over the years...
. In the All Blacks' quarter final, Jonah scored a try in the 48–30 win over
ScotlandThe Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked tenth in the IRB World Rankings as at 23 March 2009, and makes up one quarter of the...
at Loftus Versfeld. He shocked the 51,000 that packed into
NewlandsNewlands Stadium is located in Cape Town, South Africa.The stadium currently has a capacity of 51,900 people and is an all seater venue.Various sports clubs currently use the stadium as their home base, including:* Stormers in Super Rugby...
in
Cape TownCape Town is the second most populous city in South Africa, and the largest in land area, forming part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality. It is the provincial capital of the Western Cape, as well as the legislative capital of South Africa, where the National Parliament and many...
to see the semi-final against
EnglandThe England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 25 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam. England also compete for the Calcutta Cup...
, as he notched up four tries in the 45–29 defeat of the English, including a try in which he ran straight through England fullback
Mike CattMichael John Catt MBE is a South African-born English rugby union footballer who plays for London Irish, having previously played for Bath. He has played at international level for England including the successful 2003 World Cup Final...
.
His style of play at times defied description; one New Zealand commentator,
Keith QuinnKeith Quinn , was one of New Zealand's top television and radio sports commentators.Quinn was educated at Wellington College, before joining the NZBC as a sports journalist in 1967. His main area of reportage is in the sport of rugby union, and he has been a test match commentator in this sport...
, was famously reduced to gasps as Lomu devastated England's backline. After the game,
Will CarlingWilliam David Charles Carling OBE is a former Rugby union player for Harlequins, and a former captain of England from 1988 to 1996, winning 72 caps....
said: "He is a freak and the sooner he goes away the better". Lomu's attacking style was one of pure power; he had a tendency to run straight into or over any defender who had the misfortune to get in his way.
Following the win over England, the All Blacks entered what would become an epic World Cup final match at Ellis Park against
South AfricaThe South African national rugby union team are the current holders of the Rugby World Cup and the Tri-Nations Championship. They are ranked number one in the IRB World Rankings as of Monday, 14 September 2009. They were named 2008 Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards...
(the
Springboks), but despite his efforts, Lomu could not score a try against the South African side. During this game he was famously tackled near the try-line by Joost van der Westhuizen. The game went to the hosts, who scored a drop-goal in
extra timeExtra time is an additional period played in some sports codes if the score is tied at the end of normal time. In score notation, it is often denoted by the letters ET or AET, the latter of which stands for "after extra time"....
to defeat the All Blacks 15–12.
1996–1998
In the first match after the World Cup loss to South Africa, the All Blacks took on
AustraliaThe Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
at home at Eden Park. Lomu scored New Zealand's only try in the match, which they won 28–16. In the return match, held at the
Sydney Football StadiumThe Sydney Football Stadium is located in Moore Park, in Sydney, New South Wales. It was built in 1988 to be the city's premier "rectangular field" for rugby league...
to decide the
Bledisloe CupRugby Union's Bledisloe Cup is contested by Australia's Wallabies and New Zealand's All Blacks. It is named after Lord Bledisloe, the former Governor-General of New Zealand who donated the trophy in 1931....
, the All Blacks won 34–23 despite trailing at half-time, with Lomu scoring a try. Lomu's scoring for New Zealand continued later that year when he scored two tries in the All Blacks victory over
ItalyThe Italy national rugby union team represent the nation of Italy in the sport of rugby union. The team is also known as the Azzurri...
in
BolognaBologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of northern Italy...
. Lomu also played against the
French BarbariansThe Barbarian Rugby Club, more commonly known as the French Barbarians , are an invitational rugby union team that is based in France. The team is based on the Barbarians and was founded by Jean-Claude Skrela after he played for and adored the Barbarians in the later days of his career...
in November in
ToulonToulon is a city in southern France and a large military harbour on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base...
, as well as two matches against French selections. Lomu played in the first Test against France in
ToulouseToulouse is a city in southwest France on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. With 1,102,882 inhabitants as of Jan...
, which was won through penalty goals. In a subsequent match against a French selection, Lomu scored two tries. He scored a try in the second and final test against France in
ParisParis is the capital of France and the country's most populous city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
Prior to the start of the first Tri Nations Series, Lomu played for the All Blacks in matches against
SamoaThe national rugby union team of Samoa is called Manu Samoa . From 1924 to 1997 they were known as Western Samoa. They perform a traditional Samoan challenge called the siva tau before each game. They were formerly members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance along with Fiji and Tonga. They are...
and Scotland, scoring in the Scottish match. The All Blacks also hosted Australia in
WellingtonWellington is the capital of New Zealand, at the southwestern tip of the North Island between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range. The Wellington urban area is the major population centre of the southern North Island and is New Zealand's third most populous urban area with residents. There are ...
; defeating the Wallabies 43–6, with Lomu getting three of the tries. The
1996 Tri NationsThe 1996 Tri Nations Series was contested from July 6 to August 10 between the Australia, New Zealand and South Africa national rugby union teams. The All Blacks won the inaugural tournament.-Table:-Results:-External links:** at Rugby.com.au...
was the first of its kind, and launched with the advent of professionalism in rugby. A close victory over South Africa in Christchurch was followed by a 32–25 win over the Wallabies, in which Lomu scored. The wins ensured the All Blacks became the first ever
Tri Nations championsTri Nations Series champions is the title given to the rugby union nation that finishes at the top of the annual Tri Nations Series competition table following the completion of a tournament...
. Lomu played three other matches for the All Blacks following the Tri Nations that year; against
Currie CupThe Currie Cup tournament is South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, featuring teams representing either entire provinces or substantial regions within provinces...
sides in South Africa: Eastern Province, Western Transvaal and Griqualand West.
At the end of 1996, he was diagnosed with a rare and serious kidney disorder, which saw him take time off from the sport. As such he did not play in the
1997 Tri Nations SeriesThe 1997 Tri Nations Series was contested from July 19 to August 23 between the Australia, New Zealand and South Africa national rugby union teams. The All Blacks continued their unbeaten record to win their second tournament.-Results:...
, but was included in the All Blacks tour of the northern hemisphere at the end of the year. Lomu played in the two warm up matches, scoring tries against Wales 'A' and Emerging England. He played the first test against England at Old Trafford, as well as the test against Wales at Wembley Stadium, and the second match against England— he did not score in any of the three games.
At the
1998 Commonwealth GamesThe 1998 XVI Commonwealth Games were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 11 September to 21 September 1998 making it the first Asian country to act as host and the last Commonwealth Games for the 20th century...
in
Kuala LumpurKuala Lumpur , is the capital and largest city of Malaysia. The city proper, making up an area of , has an estimated population of 1.6 million in 2006. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, he won a gold medal representing New Zealand in the Sevens Rugby event. The English rugby team came to New Zealand the following year for a two test series. Lomu played in both of the matches, scoring in the first, which was a 64–22 win in
DunedinDunedin , , is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the region of Otago. It has the largest council boundary area of any New Zealand city, and is the hub of the fifth-largest urban area...
, but not in the second test won 40–10 by the All Blacks. The
1998 Tri Nations SeriesThe 1998 Tri Nations Series was contested from July 11 to August 22 between the Australia, New Zealand and South Africa national rugby union teams. The Springboks won the tournament.-Table:-Results:-External links:** at Rugby.com.au...
contributed to one of the All Blacks worst ever seasons, as they lost all four games and finished at the bottom of the table.
1999 and the World Cup
Lomu's 1999 international season kicked off with a warm-up match against
New Zealand AThe Junior All Blacks are a New Zealand rugby union team. The Junior All Blacks are not an age grade side, but the second national team behind the All Blacks.They competed in the inaugural Pacific Nations Cup alongside Fiji, Japan, Samoa and Tonga...
, which was followed by a game against Samoa in which Lomu scored one of the All Blacks' nine tries. Lomu came on late in the first game of the
1999 Tri Nations SeriesThe 1999 Tri Nations Series was contested from July 10 to August 28 between the Australia, New Zealand and South Africa national rugby union teams. The All Blacks won the tournament.-Table:-Results:-External links:** at Rugby.com.au...
, which was a 28–0 win over South Africa, and at one point took eight men to bring him down. He again started from the bench in the subsequent game against Australia which the All Blacks also won. Lomu started from the bench in the following match against the Springboks in
PretoriaPretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
, though he came in early in the 34–18 win. He was introduced at near half-time in the final Tri Nations game against Australia in Sydney, though the game was characterised by New Zealand errors, and Australia won the rainy affair, in front of 107,042 supporters. Despite the loss, the All Blacks were crowned Tri Nations champions.
He scored eight tries at the
1999 World CupThe 1999 Rugby Union World Cup was the fourth Rugby World Cup and the first to be held in rugby union's professional era. The principal host nation was Wales, although the majority of matches were played outside the country, shared between England, France, Scotland and Ireland...
. In New Zealand's first pool match of the tournament against
TongaThe Tonga national rugby union team is nicknamed Ikale Tahi . Like their Polynesian neighbours, the Tongans start their matches with a war dance - the Kailao...
he scored two tries, scoring again in one of his finest matches in pool play against England. Lomu scored his second double of the tournament in the third and final pool match against Italy. The All Blacks, finishing atop of their pool, proceeded to the quarter-finals, where they defeated Scotland, where Lomu scored one of New Zealand's four tries. Lomu scored twice in the semi-final match against France, though it was not enough to see them through to the final, as France went onto win 43–31. Through his career, Lomu has scored eight tries against England — more than any other All Black. Lomu also holds an unbeaten record of 15 tries in World Cup tournaments. Following the World Cup, there was speculation that Lomu would be moving to play
American FootballAmerican football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, and often as Gridiron or Tackle football outside North America, is a competitive team sport known for combining strategy with physical play. The objective of the game is to score points by advancing the ball into the...
in the
National Football LeagueThe National Football League is the largest professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing its name to the National Football League in 1922. The league currently consists of...
, or continue to play rugby in the
English PremiershipThe English Premiership is a professional league competition for rugby union football clubs in the top division of the English rugby system. There are, at present, twelve clubs in the Premiership...
. None of the speculation materialised and Lomu stayed in New Zealand.
2000–2003
After playing in the 100+ victory over Tonga, Lomu and
Tana UmagaJonathan Falefasa "Tana" Umaga, ONZM , is a New Zealand rugby union footballer and former captain of the national team, the All Blacks. He has played for the Hurricanes since the Super 12's inception in 1996 and took over the captaincy in 2003...
scored five tries between them in the subsequent match against Scotland. One of Lomu's tries was a characteristic bulldozing effort down the wing, leaving Scottish defenders in his wake. In the opening match of the
2000 Tri Nations SeriesThe 2000 Tri Nations Series was contested from July 15 to August 26 between the Australia, New Zealand and South Africa national rugby union teams...
, the All Blacks raced out to a 21 to nil lead, which had the potential to be 28, had
George GreganGeorge Musarurwa Gregan AM is an Australian rugby union halfback who has made more appearances for his national team than any other player in the sport's history...
not stopped Lomu from scoring one of his own. Australia amazingly fought back, and with minutes remaining, both sides had scored five tries each. The world record rugby crowd of 109,874 was treated to the highest scoring match ever between the two sides. With just minutes remaining, the Wallabies led 35 to 34; until Lomu "brushed past a desperate
Stephen LarkhamStephen Larkham is an Australian rugby union footballer with the Ricoh Black Rams in Japan. He is best known for his career with the Brumbies in Super Rugby, for whom he played from the inception of the professional Super 12 in 1996 through 2007, and his long tenure with the Wallabies at...
to tip-toe down the line and score the winning try".
The match was followed by a victory over South Africa, and then a re-match of the thrilling Bledisloe Cup game, which Australia won by just a single point, 24 to 23. A barn-storming Lomu was stopped short of the line early in the second half in the final match against South Africa. The Springboks eventually won, 46 to 40. The All Blacks finished second on the table, with Australia winning the Tri Nations. Lomu played in one other test that year; against France at
Stade de FranceThe Stade de France is the national stadium of France, situated in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis. It has an all-seater capacity of 81,338 and is used for the French rugby union team during the Six Nations and other major internationals...
in November, which the All Blacks won 39 to 26.
Lomu also led the New Zealand Sevens team to victory at the 2001
Sevens World CupThe Rugby World Cup Sevens is the premier international Rugby sevens competition. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the International Rugby Board , and is contested by the men's national sevens teams every four years. The inaugural tournament was held in 1993 in Scotland, the...
, filling in for Rush, who suffered a broken leg during the competition. In the lead up to the
2001 Tri Nations SeriesThe 2001 Tri Nations Series was contested from July 21 to September 1 between the Australia, New Zealand and South Africa national rugby union teams...
, the All Blacks played
ArgentinaThe Argentina national rugby team, nicknamed Los Pumas, represents Argentina in international rugby union matches. The team, which plays in sky blue and white jerseys, is organised by the Argentine Rugby Union .Argentina played its first international rugby match in 1910 against a touring British...
and France at home, Lomu scoring a try in the French match. Despite causing havoc for the Springboks, no tries were scored in the opening match of the Tri Nations, which was won on penalty goals by the All Blacks. Lomu played his 50th test for the All Blacks at the Carisbrook 'House of Pain', scoring a try in the second minute of play. The Wallabies spoiled the party however, winning 23 to 15. This was followed by a win over South Africa, and loss to the Wallabies at
Stadium AustraliaStadium Australia, currently known as ANZ Stadium due to naming rights, is a multi-purpose stadium located in the Sydney Olympic Park precinct of Homebush Bay. The stadium, which in Australia is sometimes referred to simply as the "Olympic Stadium", was completed in March 1999 at a cost of A$690...
.
At the end of the year, the All Blacks played Ireland at
Lansdowne RoadLansdowne Road was a sports stadium in Dublin owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union . It was used primarily for rugby union, but also for major association football matches and music concerts...
in
DublinDublin is the largest city and capital of Ireland. It is officially known in Irish as Baile Átha Cliath or Áth Cliath ; the English name comes from the Irish Dubh Linn meaning "black pool". It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the...
. Lomu was a central figure in the 40 to 29 win, setting up
Aaron MaugerAaron Joseph Douglas Mauger is a rugby union footballer who plays at for Leicester Tigers. He previously played s and s for Canterbury , the Crusaders and the New Zealand All Blacks...
for his debut try, and taking an inside pass to blast through for one of his own. The All Blacks end of season tour continued at
MurrayfieldMurrayfield Stadium is a sports stadium located in the west end of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland...
in
EdinburghEdinburgh is the capital city of Scotland. It is the second largest Scottish city, after Glasgow, and the seventh-most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas....
, where they defeated Scotland 37 to six, with Lomu contributing one try. In the final match of the tour, the All Blacks played Argentina at the
River Plate StadiumThe Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti, better known as El Monumental de Nuñez or River Plate Stadium, is a stadium in the Belgrano district of Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is the home venue of Club Atlético River Plate and is named after former club president Antonio Vespucio Liberti...
. Lomu put the All Blacks in front after Argentina took an early lead, brushing off four defenders to score. In the end, New Zealand won the match by a score of 24 to 20.
In his first test of 2002, he came off the bench in the second half to score a try in a match against Italy. He was again injected into play from the bench in the first of a two test series against Ireland in New Zealand; setting up the All Blacks second try coming on in the last fifteen minutes of play. Lomu was back at his usual starting position for the second test against the Irish, which New Zealand won 40 points to eight. Lomu did not score in the subsequent match against
FijiThe Fiji national rugby union team is one of the strongest national rugby union teams of the world, and the third from Oceania, even still as a second tier nation. It is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance formerly along with Samoa and Tonga. In 2009, Samoa announced their departure...
; though he did however make a trademark run down the wing, setting up Christian Cullen's third try in the match. Lomu came off the bench in the All Blacks first game of the
2002 Tri Nations SeriesThe 2002 Tri Nations Series was contested from July 13 to August 17 between the Australia, New Zealand and South Africa national rugby union teams. The All Blacks won the tournament.-Table:-Results:-External links:** at Rugby.com.au...
against South Africa, though he did not play in the rest of the tournament.
He was, however, back in his starting position on the wing for a game against England in November. Lomu ended up scoring a double, though it was not enough to secure a New Zealand victory, with England winning 31 to 28. The subsequent match against France resulted in a draw, the first between the two nations in 96 years. The last match of the end of season tour was against Wales, which the All Blacks won 43 to 17.
Personal life
Lomu has had a turbulent rollercoaster of a personal life. He has been married and divorced twice and is now living with his third partner, who was herself married when she met Jonah.
In 1996, shortly after the
1995 Rugby World CupThe 1995 Rugby World Cup was the third Rugby World Cup. It was hosted by South Africa, and had the distinction of being the first Rugby World Cup in which every match was held in one country...
in which he made such a big impact, Lomu married South African Tanya Rutter and she moved to live in New Zealand. Four years later in 2000, they were divorced. Then in August 2003, Jonah married his second wife Fiona (who also became his personal manager with a firm hand on all his finances) in a secret ceremony on Waiheke Island. A week later they held a party on the island for approximately 160 guests
In December 2007, it was reported that Lomu and his second wife Fiona were taking timeout from one another.
Then in February 2008, it was reported Lomu and his wife Fiona were divorcing. The reason for the divorce was another woman. Nadene Quirk was married to fringe Auckland Blues rugby player Jarek Goebel when she met Jonah in late 2007. Goebel was understandably devastated by what happened. In early 2008, Lomu moved out of his Auckland property and down to
WellingtonWellington is the capital of New Zealand, at the southwestern tip of the North Island between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range. The Wellington urban area is the major population centre of the southern North Island and is New Zealand's third most populous urban area with residents. There are ...
to live with Quirk.
Health issues
At the end of 1996 Lomu was diagnosed as having
nephrotic syndromeNephrotic syndrome is a nonspecific disorder in which the kidneys are damaged, causing them to leak large amounts of protein from the blood into the urine....
, a rare and serious
kidneyThe kidneys are paired organs, which have the production of urine as their primary function. Kidneys are seen in many types of animals, including vertebrates and some invertebrates. They are part of the urinary system, but have several secondary functions concerned with homeostatic functions. ...
disorder. His rugby union career went on hold whilst the disorder was treated. In May 2003, the NZRFU announced that Lomu had been put on
dialysisIn medicine, dialysis is primarily used to provide an artificial replacement for lost kidney function due to renal failure...
three times a week due to deterioration in his kidney function. Side effects of Lomu's dialysis treatment led to severe nerve damage in his feet and legs; his doctors warned him that he faced life in a wheelchair if a kidney transplant was not performed soon.
Late in March 2004, Lomu was quoted by a
Hong KongHong Kong , officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a highly autonomous territory of the People's Republic of China, facing Guangdong to the north and the South China Sea to the east, west and south...
newspaper to the effect that a suitable live kidney donor had been found, and that he would have transplant surgery sometime during 2004. However, the former
All BlacksThe New Zealand national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, is the representative side of New Zealand in rugby union. Rugby union is regarded as the country's national sport...
team physician who was overseeing Lomu's treatment quickly denied the report. Nonetheless, at the end of July 2004 it was reported that Lomu had indeed undergone a kidney transplant on Tuesday, 28 July, in
AucklandThe Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with a population approaching 1.4 million residents, percent of the country's population. Demographic trends indicate that it will continue to grow faster than the rest...
, New Zealand. The kidney was in fact donated by
WellingtonWellington is the capital of New Zealand, at the southwestern tip of the North Island between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range. The Wellington urban area is the major population centre of the southern North Island and is New Zealand's third most populous urban area with residents. There are ...
radio presenter
Grant KereamaGrant Kereama is a radio host on the ZM Morning Crew on the ZM network. Grant co-hosts his morning show with his wife Pauline Gillespie....
. Lomu soon announced his intention to train for his rugby union renaissance in June 2005.
Comeback quest
In January 2005, Jonah Lomu announced his intention to lead a team against Martin Johnson's invitational XV on 4 June 2005, at
TwickenhamTwickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
. He scored a try in the first half of the Johnson
testimonialA testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
, but injured his shoulder in the process and did not return for the second half, dampening an otherwise encouraging first appearance. As it turned out, his injury was more serious than originally thought; he underwent surgery on the shoulder, causing him to miss the 2005 NPC season.
Before returning to professional rugby, he needed special clearance from the
World Anti-Doping AgencyThe World Anti-Doping Agency , , is an independent foundation created through a collective initiative led by the International Olympic Committee . It was set up on November 10, 1999 in Lausanne, Switzerland to promote, coordinate and monitor the fight against drugs in sport...
, as one of the anti-rejection drugs he must take is on the WADA list of banned substances. On 8 April 2005, he signed a two-year contract to play for the New Zealand first division provincial team
North HarbourThe North Harbour Rugby Union , commonly referred to colloquially as North Harbour or simply Harbour, is a provincial rugby team which competes in the Air New Zealand Cup, the successor to the country's former domestic competition, the National Provincial Championship .-Area:Harbour Rugby...
in the NPC.
On 9 August 2005, he joined North Harbour, but the shoulder injury he had picked up in the Martin Johnson testimonial game ruled him out for the season, so he worked with the team in a coaching capacity. North Harbour agreed to allow him to play overseas during the NPC offseason, so Lomu signed with the
Cardiff BluesCardiff Blues are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, the team will play at Cardiff City Stadium from the start of the 2009/2010 season and are owned by Cardiff Rugby Football Club....
of the
Celtic LeagueThe Magners League is an annual rugby union competition involving regional sides from Ireland, Scotland and Wales. It is one of the three major leagues in Europe, along with the English Guinness Premiership and the French Top 14...
and began playing in
WalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom, bordered by England to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It is also an elective region of the European Union...
in December that year, though he would then return to North Harbour for the 2006 NPC season. Lomu made his first appearance in a competitive match since his transplant on 10 December, in Cardiff's away
Heineken CupThe European Rugby Cup is an annual rugby union competition involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from six International Rugby Board nations in Europe: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. Romania competed in the first year of the competition only...
fixture against Italian club
CalvisanoRugby Calvisano are an Italian rugby union club currently competing in Serie A.They are based in Calvisano , in Lombardy.They were founded in 1970 by a group of players Tonino Montanari, Gianluigi Vaccari and Alfredo Gavazzi....
. He started the match and played 60 minutes, although he did not score, making a key line break leading to Cardiff's first try in their 25-10 win.
One week later, he made his home debut for Cardiff at
Cardiff Arms ParkCardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is a rugby union stadium situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The history of the rugby ground starts with the first stands appearing for spectators in the ground in 1881–1882, although the Arms Park had cricket played on the site since 1848...
and played for the whole match. Again, he did not get onto the scoresheet but his presence was enough to create space for other players to score in a 43-16 win over Calvisano. In front of a record home crowd, Lomu scored his first try for Cardiff on 27 December 2005, with a man-of-the-match performance during a
Celtic LeagueThe Magners League is an annual rugby union competition involving regional sides from Ireland, Scotland and Wales. It is one of the three major leagues in Europe, along with the English Guinness Premiership and the French Top 14...
41-23 win against the
Newport Gwent DragonsThe Newport Gwent Dragons are one of the four professional Rugby Union teams in Wales. They are jointly owned by Newport RFC and the WRU and play all their home games at Rodney Parade, Newport. They play in the Magners League, as well as competing in the EDF Energy Cup and the Heineken Cup in the...
. In early 2006, he was sidelined while he concentrated on gaining speed and strength, stating that "I have now lost between 10 and 11 kilos". He got his first start since January against
Border ReiversBorder Reivers, originally known as 'Scottish Borders Rugby' were one of four professional rugby union teams in Scotland, alongside Edinburgh, Caledonia Reds and Glasgow Warriors....
on Saturday, 15 April, but broke his ankle as a result of a cover tackle on him four minutes from time. He was denied a try, but managed to get the ball away for
Mark LewisMark Lewis born 18 June, 1982 in Caerphilly, Wales was a rugby union player.A back row player, Mark Lewis came to Pontypridd through the ranks of the Pontypridd Rugby Academy, gaining international honours with Wales at Youth and under 21 level....
to score the Blues sixth try in their 46-11 win. He was estimated to be out for six weeks, as reported by his manager and wife, Fiona Lomu, meaning the end of his Celtic League season.
After three seasons of absence from rugby in New Zealand, Lomu played for
MasseyThe Massey Rugby Club is a New Zealand rugby union club located in Massey, Waitakere City. They are part of the North Harbour Rugby Union and compete in their competitions.-History:...
against Marist in the North Harbour club competition. Lomu was on for 30 minutes, making a blocking run before he twisted his right ankle and was subsequently replaced. Lomu said that it was "a small step" in his comeback. Jonah's aim was to return to the
National Provincial ChampionshipThe National Provincial Championship, or NPC, was the predecessor to the current Air New Zealand Cup and Heartland Championship in New Zealand rugby....
and reclaim his All Blacks jersey for the
2007 World CupThe 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
. Lomu ended up playing for North Harbour in round four of the
National Provincial ChampionshipThe National Provincial Championship, or NPC, was the predecessor to the current Air New Zealand Cup and Heartland Championship in New Zealand rugby....
, in a match against Wellington, playing in the last 26 minutes of the game. Harbour won the match 31-16. Lomu said after the match "For me it's a dream come true...I've always said this is my goal - to come back and play in New Zealand."
However, it became apparent in early 2007 that Jonah was not going to make the
Rugby World CupThe Rugby World Cup is the premier international rugby union competition. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the International Rugby Board , and is contested by the men's national teams. The inaugural tournament was held in 1987, hosted by both Australia and New Zealand, and is...
after not being signed with a New Zealand Super 14 Team, therefore ruling him out for the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France. Before Lomu failed to be signed by any franchise, Lomu was demoted to the North Harbour 2nd XV. Lomu stated he was disappointed by his failure in not getting a Super 14 contract, but that he had not failed himself. It was subsequently speculated that Lomu may play in Australia in 2007 for one of the new national competition clubs.
On 16 October 2006, it was reported that Lomu was close to switching codes and signing for the
Gold Coast TitansThe Gold Coast Titans lead by captain Scott Prince, are an Australian professional rugby league football team based on the Gold Coast in Queensland...
, a new
QueenslandQueensland is a state of Australia that occupies the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory to the west, South Australia to the south-west and New South Wales to the south. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
franchise in the
National Rugby LeagueThe National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL competition is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
competition. He was offered a relatively small contract of a hundred thousand dollars. However, the deal did not materialise as Lomu was unable to reconcile his contracts based on him playing rugby union to playing in the NRL.
On 5 November 2006, the BBC reported that Lomu was considering a return to Welsh rugby. He last played rugby in Hong Kong to take part in the Tens competition.
On 9 April 2007, Lomu appeared on New Zealand's version of
This Is Your LifeThis Is Your Life is a television documentary series hosted by its producer, Ralph Edwards. It originally aired in the United States from 1952 to 1961, and again in 1972 on NBC. It originated as a radio show airing from 1948 to 1952 on NBC Radio. A version of it continues a very long run in the...
, in which he was reunited with his estranged half brother Noah Lomu.
Jonah Lomu was appointed as a Member of the
New Zealand Order of MeritThe New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of chivalry established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
in the Queen's Birthday Honours list on 4 June 2007.
Retirement
Jonah retired from rugby in 2007, but was persuaded to play in the
Help For HeroesHelp for Heroes is a British charity launched in September 2007 to help provide better facilities for wounded British servicemen and women. It was founded by Bryn Parry, a cartoonist and former member of The Royal Green Jackets, after he visited soldiers at Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham...
charity match at
TwickenhamTwickenham is a town and suburb in the south west of London, England: being the principal town by population and administrative centre of the Borough of Richmond upon Thames.-Pre-Norman:...
a year later, although had to withdraw after injuring his ankle in training.
However, in June 2009, the BBC claimed he was close to joining French
third divisionLe championnat de France de première division fédérale, a.k.a. Fédérale 1, is a French rugby union club competition, the highest level of amateur rugby. The competition has been organised by the Fédération Française de Rugby since 2000, when it replaced the B2 Group...
club
Marseille VitrollesMarseille Vitrolles Rugby is a French rugby union club based in Marseille and currently competing in Fédérale 1, the semi-professional top level of the French amateur league system...
and is expected to start in the first match of the new season.
In September 2009, Lomu took part in a amateur bodybuilding contest in Wellington. He revealed that he has lost weight since preparing in March and now weighs 115kg. Intensive gym work a diet without carbohydrates is the result of his weight loss. He Claims he hasn't weighed that since he left school at 19. He finished second in two categories, including the men’s open over-90kg, and the mixed pairs. That meant he's done enough to qualify for next month’s competition. His Partner Tracy suffered from breast cancer but also recovered like Lomu did. He is also preparing for his comeback to rugby. He will join
Marseille VitrollesMarseille Vitrolles Rugby is a French rugby union club based in Marseille and currently competing in Fédérale 1, the semi-professional top level of the French amateur league system...
in November.
Further reading
- Phil Shirley "Blood & Thunder The unofficial biography of Jonah Lomu" Harper Collins Publishers London ISBN 0-00-274028-1
- Lomu, Jonah, (2004). Jonah Lomu Autobiography, Headline Book Pub Ltd, (ISBN 0-7553-1263-5)
External links
- Official website
- Murray Webb
Murray George Webb is a respected New Zealand caricature artist. Based in Dunedin, his usual subjects are sports icons....
caricatures: Lomu at RWC 1995 Lomu in Counties kit
- Jonah Lomu Rugby
Jonah Lomu Rugby is a computer and video game released in 1997. It was developed by Codemasters and published by Rage Software. It was released on the PC, PlayStation and Sega Saturn. Its title is a reference to noted All Blacks winger Jonah Lomu....
(video game)