Latest news with #Lomu
IOL News
2 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Rugby World Cup 1995 I Jonah Lomu — the All Blacks wrecking ball that changed the face of rugby
Joost van der Westhuizen had a numbing pre-match injection on a rib injury and then played the game of his life in the 1995 World Cup final, inspiring his team with a legendary tackle on Kiwi Jonah Lomu. File photo Joost van der Westhuizen had a numbing pre-match injection on a rib injury and then played the game of his life in the 1995 World Cup final, inspiring his team with a legendary tackle on Kiwi Jonah Lomu. File photo The enduring image of the 1995 Rugby World Cup is of Nelson Mandela, dressed in Francois Pienaar's No 6 jersey, awarding the Webb Ellis Cup to the Springbok captain, but also etched into immortality is the scene of utter destruction when Jonah Lomu scored against England in the semi-final. Lomu scored four that day, but the one the world will never forget was when he ran over Mike Catt, rendering the fullback a mangle of spread-eagled arms and legs, while behind them, bulldozed into the Newlands turf, were fellow casualties, Will Carling and Tony Underwood. No wonder Carling called the juggernaut 'a freak'. Freakish the 20-year-old was. The rugby world had never seen the like of him before, and there hasn't been anyone quite like him since. At a towering 196cm (6 ft 5 in) and weighing 125 kilograms, he was bigger than the locks at that World Cup, but here he was on the left wing. With that muscular bulk and the pace of a sprinter (he was a hurdles record holder at school in South Auckland), he was a runaway train. Coaches across the World Cup wondered how to stop him. If he was presented with an outside gap, he had the pace to show a clean pair of heels. Go low and he ran over you. Go high and he went over you anyway. He was like Gulliver swatting off Lilliputians. As Carling added, 'I've seen men bigger than Lomu, I've seen men faster than Lomu, I've seen men stronger than Lomu, but I've never seen a man bigger, faster and stronger than Jonah.' Lomu, the son of immigrant Tongans, was the perfect attacking storm and rugby's first superstar. Soon, there would be a wax model of him in London's Madame Tussauds museum. In New Zealand, fast food giant McDonald's renamed their biggest offering the Jonah Burger. He had debuted for the All Blacks a year earlier, in 1994, when playing two Tests against France. He was the youngest ever All Black at 19 years and 45 days. A hard-to-believe fact is that Lomu, who had seen little ball in the games against France, almost did not go to South Africa. Unconvinced All Blacks coach Laurie Mains has said Lomu was one of his last selection choices for the 1995 World Cup. On the fast, dry pitches of South Africa, the Lomu phenomenon exploded. His seven tries for a tournament is a World Cup record shared with Springbok left wing Bryan Habana (2007 World Cup). The two share the record for most tries in World Cups (15). Lomu scored his 15 in 11 World Cup games (across two World Cups) while Habana's tally was spread across three World Cups. But it was not just the number of tries Lomu scored, it was how he scored them. With his head shaved but for a small quiff on his forehead, thunderous thighs, and a ferocious glare, he scorched through defences like a blazing comet. For the game of rugby, the Lomu explosion in 1995 could not have been better timed because that World Cup was the farewell to the amateur game. As the dust was settling on the Springboks' win, leading players across the world were secretly discussing how they could force the International Rugby Board to embrace professionalism. They got it right. Lomu gave professional rugby an instant face. He was a marketing guru's dream come true. It was around him that the professional game was launched. There was no need for a publicity campaign as to why rugby players deserved to be paid. Lomu had done it all by himself. As the website put it, 'For the seven years of his career, he was a lightning rod for rugby's advance into the uncharted waters of a money game that had to be shared, finally, by players who had seen the monetary rewards for their labours go into the bank accounts of those controlling rugby unions, which held those finances in iron fists.' Sadly, Lomu was stricken with a kidney illness early in his career and forced into retirement early. He played his final Test, his 63rd, having scored 37 tries, in 2002. He played his last first-class game in 2006, ending a career in which he scored 126 tries, shared in a World Cup Sevens title, and won a gold medal in Sevens at the 1998 Commonwealth Games. In 2015, one of rugby's most poignant off-field moments occurred when the ill Lomu visited wheelchair-bound Joost van der Westhuizen at the latter's home. The pair had been fierce rivals on the field — one of the great moments of the '95 final was when Lomu got the ball in space but was tackled around his ankles by the determined Van der Westhuizen. That tackle gave the Boks the belief that they could stop Lomu. Intriguingly, Lomu never scored a try against the Springboks in his career. Lomu, fighting back tears, said to Joost, who was suffering from Motor Neuron Disease, 'You know what… the most satisfying thing is that I can call you my friend.' Such is the power of rugby to forge comradeships. Truly special. Later that year, Lomu died suddenly when the kidney a friend had given him was rejected by his body. He was 40. Van der Westhuizen died in 2017 at age 45. Lomu, rugby's first global superstar, is to the sport what Muhammad Ali was to boxing, Michael Jordan to basketball, Tiger Woods to golf, and Usain Bolt to sprinting. He was that good. Mike Greenaway is the author of the best-selling books The Fireside Springbok and Bok to Bok.
USA Today
6 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
NFL Draft Summer Scouting Report: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
NFL Draft Summer Scouting Report: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah Summer is here, and it is everyone's favorite time of the year, scouting time. Every year, we do Summer Scouting to preview college football for Vikings fans, but also give them an idea of names to follow and watch in the fall as needs pop up for Minnesota. Are we going to write about quarterbacks? You know it, but why? Because other NFL teams will draft them, just as they will draft every other position. It all matters whether these players end up on the Vikings, the Bears, or the Steelers. We write these so Vikings fans can be the most informed fans. So if you are still with us, enjoy our latest Summer Scouting report as we prepare you for the Fall. Player Information Player: Caleb Lomu School: Utah Height/Weight: 6-5/295 lbs. Position: Left Tackle Player Background - 4-Star Recruit - Freshman All-American in 2023 - High School All-American - High School Polynesian Bowl Career Stats Heading into the 2025 Season - 15 Career Games - 12 Career Starts Notable PFF Numbers Heading into the 2025 Season - PFF Run Blocking Grade 71.8 - PFF Pass Blocking Grade 76 - 372 Run Blocking Snaps - 425 Pass Blocking Snaps Player Traits - Demonstrates good athleticism - Generates power - Reliable in pass protection - Thrives as a run blocker - Good anchor ability Player Summary Caleb Lomu is one half of a dynamic tackle duo that Utah is boasting this year in the Big 12. In the case of Lomu, he has a chance to be a top ten pick with his size and strength being a perfect blend of athleticism. It allows for him to handle an array of edge rushers that go his way, and because of that, he is one of the more reliable tackles that I have watched this Summer, getting ready for the Fall.
USA Today
6 days ago
- General
- USA Today
NFL Draft Summer Scouting Report: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
NFL Draft Summer Scouting Report: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah Summer is here, and it is everyone's favorite time of the year, scouting time. Every year, we do Summer Scouting to preview college football for Bucs fans, but also give them an idea of names to follow and watch in the fall as needs pop up for Tampa Bay. Are we going to write about quarterbacks? You know it, but why? Because other NFL teams will draft them, just as they will draft every other position. It all matters whether these players end up on the Bucs, the Bears, or the Steelers. We write these so Bucs fans can be the most informed fans. So if you are still with us, enjoy our latest Summer Scouting report as we prepare you for the Fall. Player Information Player: Caleb Lomu School: Utah Height/Weight: 6-5/295 lbs. Position: Left Tackle Player Background - 4-Star Recruit - Freshman All-American in 2023 - High School All-American - High School Polynesian Bowl Career Stats Heading into the 2025 Season - 15 Career Games - 12 Career Starts Notable PFF Numbers Heading into the 2025 Season - PFF Run Blocking Grade 71.8 - PFF Pass Blocking Grade 76 - 372 Run Blocking Snaps - 425 Pass Blocking Snaps Player Traits - Demonstrates good athleticism - Generates power - Reliable in pass protection - Thrives as a run blocker - Good anchor ability Player Summary Caleb Lomu is one half of a dynamic tackle duo that Utah is boasting this year in the Big 12. In the case of Lomu, he has a chance to be a top ten pick with his size and strength being a perfect blend of athleticism. It allows for him to handle an array of edge rushers that go his way, and because of that, he is one of the more reliable tackles that I have watched this Summer, getting ready for the Fall.
IOL News
26-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
On this day: Samoa shocked Italy, Wales overwhelmed Japan and the All Blacks suppressed Ireland
The All Blacks' Jonah Lomu began his rampage at the Rugby World Cup 1995 against Ireland 30 years ago. Photo: AFP The All Blacks were overwhelming favourites to reclaim the title they had won in 1987 — the inaugural World Cup — but lost to the Wallabies in England in 1991. After the Springboks had opened the 1995 World Cup by defeating the Wallabies on Thursday May 25, the tournament took off on the Saturday when most of the favoured teams flexed their muscles, notably New Zealand and Wales. They played Ireland at Ellis Park and were made to work hard for their 43-19 win. In this era, Ireland were not respected and not feared, and the Kiwis sweated before Jonah Lomu put up an emphatic hand and scored two tries to quell the usual Irish fervour. The Tongan-born Lomu had announced himself on the 1995 World Cup stage and he never left it. Tries were added by the wonderful All Blacks Frank Bunce (centre), flank Josh Kronfeld and fullback Glen Osbourne. Flyhalf Andrew Mehrtens did the rest of the damage with his boot. For the gallant Irish, tries were scored by flank Dennis McBride and No 8 David Corkery, with flyhalf Eric Elwood adding two conversions and a penalty. In Durban, fancied England were almost upset by Argentina, a country that has no love for the English. At that time, the Pumas were not a recognised as a world force but they almost won. In fact, England could not score a try and all their points were scored by flyhalf Rob Andrews. He kicked an impeccable six penalties and two drop goals. The South Americans had the satisfaction of scoring the game's two tries — one by prop Patricio Noriega and the other by flyhalf Lisandro Arbizu. The Free State Stadium hosted Wales versus Japan. This was time when Wales was a force and Japan were still making their way into the top tier of rugby. The Japanese naively tried to run everything against their bigger opponents and while they won the crowd's support, they were always going to be found out. Wales wing Gareth Thomas, on debut, scored three tries while the brilliant kicker Neil Jenkins filled his boots in the 57-10 romp. In East London, Italy and West Samoa were expected to run each other close but in the battle of the teams wearing blue, it was the sky blue Azzurri who were punished by the darker blue of the pacific island team. The Samoans had been the surprise package of the 1991 World Cup when they beat Wales, but Italy were on an upward trajectory mostly because of their brilliant flyhalf Diego Dominguez. However, Samoa bulled the Italians into submission, with their famous wing Brian Lima leading the charge.
The South African
12-05-2025
- Sport
- The South African
A legend at 50: Remembering All Blacks great Jonah Lomu
All Blacks and world rugby superstar, Jonah Lomu, would have turned 50 on Monday, 12 May 2025. Thirty years ago, when he turned 20, he was on the cusp of becoming rugby's greatest star. He had debuted for the All Blacks a year earlier when playing two Tests against France, a less-than-memorable start to a Test career that, due to a kidney illness, was brief but stratospheric compared to anything that had gone before. Little did anyone suspect that when he was one of All Blacks coach Laurie Mains' final selection choices for the 1995 Rugby World Cup, in the recently restored democracy of South Africa, that his actual arrival in the game would occur when rugby jumped the Rubicon of amateurism and became professional. As compelling as Jonah Lomu's play was at the World Cup, who will ever forget his four tries in the semi-final against England. While the All Blacks fell in an extra-time final to hosts South Africa, the synchronicity of his emergence and the earth-shattering opening of the game was a perfect storm. Lomu gave rugby a face in the rugby world that surpassed anything that could have been pre-arranged to launch the game as worthy of a place among sports competing for the public's attention around the globe. Who needed a swept-up publicity campaign for the newfound form of rugby to capture the attention of world sports fans? A ready-made star, whose impact, skill and power emerged at the perfect time, could only have been maximised in the commercial environment that the change to professionalism allowed. It had potential benefits for Lomu the individual, but had greater value for rugby overall. For seven years, he was a lightning rod for rugby's advance into the uncharted waters of a money game that had to be shared, finally, by players who had seen the monetary rewards for their labours go into the bank accounts of those controlling rugby unions, which held those finances in iron fists. Jonah Lomu gave New Zealand, one of the smallest and most vulnerable of rugby's nations, an advantage in competing for the vital sponsors' dollars to establish themselves in a position to maintain their station at the top of the rugby world order. The move to professionalism was expected to disadvantage New Zealand and the All Blacks, who were frequently described as 'the most professional amateur side' in the world game. Not for monetary reasons, but for the attitude with which they played the game. That hasn't happened, and the more time advances since that day in 1995 when the monetary floodgates opened, the more it is apparent that Lomu was a key factor in ensuring the All Blacks remained among the most competitive of sides. Their place in the game didn't reduce; it improved. And Lomu continued to perform despite coping with the ravages of that kidney illness. The illness forced Lomu from the game earlier than was wanted. He played his final Test, his 63rd, having scored 37 tries, in 2002. He played his last first-class game in 2006, ending a career in which he scored 126 tries, shared in a World Cup Sevens title and won a gold medal in Sevens at the 1998 Commonwealth Games. But in spite of his death at the age of 40 in 2015, the marvels of modern technology have ensured that his dominant skills are forever available through video memories on any number of platforms on the internet. Jonah Lomu was a flashing comet across the sporting sky, but in his trail he left indelible memories scattered in his wake, a genuine All Blacks phenomenon. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
