Description
Welcome to Quare, the educational podcast for young and old alike. Today, in the Sport category, our episode is dedicated to Jonah Lomu.
Who is Jonah Lomu?
Jonah Lomu is one of the most impressive rugby players the world has ever seen. He was born in 1975 in Auckland, New Zealand, into a family of Tongan heritage. He wore the famous All Blacks jersey and is widely regarded as the first rugby player to become a true global superstar — famous far beyond the world of rugby itself.
What are the All Blacks?
The All Blacks are New Zealand’s national rugby team. Their nickname comes from their all-black kit. They are considered the most successful team in the history of rugby union, and wearing that jersey is the dream of every young New Zealander. They are also famous for the haka — a traditional Polynesian war dance they perform facing their opponents before every match.
What made Jonah Lomu so special?
Everything! He stood 1.96 metres tall and weighed close to 120 kilograms. But despite that giant frame, he could run 100 metres in under 11 seconds. Can you imagine? A player built like a wardrobe, running almost as fast as a sprinter. For any defender who had to stop him, it was a near-impossible mission.
What position did he play?
He was a wing — the player who receives the ball on the sides of the pitch and charges towards the try line to score. In that role, Lomu was devastating: he combined a sprinter’s speed with a forward’s power. Defenders could choose to sidestep him or take him on head-first. Either way, he usually won.
How did he come to play rugby?
He grew up in a poor neighbourhood of Auckland, in an unstable home environment. He found in rugby a structure, a sense of belonging, and a substitute family. His physical gifts and talent quickly caught the eye. At just 19, in 1994, he became the youngest player in history to wear the All Blacks jersey.
When did he become famous around the world?
In 1995, at the Rugby World Cup in South Africa. He was only 20 years old, and he delivered a performance rugby had never seen before. In the semi-final against England, he scored four tries on his own. He knocked opponents over, ran straight through others, brushed them aside with one hand like skittles. New Zealand won 45–29. And Jonah Lomu became, overnight, rugby’s first global superstar.
Is there one particular moment from that match everyone remembers?
Yes! His very first try, just seventy seconds into the game. An English defender by the name of Mike Catt stood in his way near the line. Lomu didn’t sidestep him, didn’t slow down — he simply ran over him. Literally. Mike Catt ended up on the ground, and Lomu touched down. That image went around the world. Years later, a journalist asked Mike Catt how he lived with that memory. He replied with good humour: “At least I won the World Cup in 2003.”
Why did he say that? Jonah Lomu never won the World Cup?
No, and that’s the great paradox of his career. Jonah Lomu was never world champion. In 1995, the All Blacks lost the final to South Africa, the host nation. In 1999, Lomu scored eight tries in the tournament — a new record — but the All Blacks fell in the semi-final against France, in one of the greatest upsets in the history of French rugby. He finished his career with 63 caps and 37 tries for the All Blacks, but no world title.
Does he hold a World Cup record?
Yes! He ended his career with 15 World Cup tries, a record he still shares today with South Africa’s Bryan Habana.www.quare.club
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