It’s Thanksgiving Day here in the States, as well as #throwbackthursday, so it seems like a good time to pay tribute to a legendary All Black of yesteryear, Jonah Lomu. Lomu became the youngest All Black in history when he made his Test debut for New Zealand against France in 1994 at age 19, and became a global superstar at the 1995 World Cup. His unique combination of size (6’5″ and 273 pounds, according to Scrum) and sub-11 second 100 meter speed made him nearly unstoppable and captivated rugby audiences everywhere. Despite towering over most forwards, Lomu played on the wing because of his speed, agility, and finishing ability. He scored 37 tries in 63 Tests for the All Blacks, and is the all-time leading World Cup try scorer – 15 in 11 games over the course of the 1995 and 1999 tournaments.
Sadly, a rare and serious kidney disorder hampered Lomu’s rugby career almost right from the beginning. Rugby fans can only wonder what might have been. Lomu had a kidney transplant in 2004, and has required dialysis for the past two years, but said in a recent interview with the Irish Independent that his health is “really, really good.” Jonah: thanks for all the wonderful memories you provided on the rugby field, and best wishes for continued good health.
Check out the videos below for some of Lomu’s greatest moments and to see the great man reflect on his career.
Happy #AllBlackFriday
Stateside Rugby 