04/25/24
April 08, 2005
Lomu signs two-year NPC contract: The most famous rugby player to ever lace up a pair of boots, former All Black Jonah Lomu attempts a comeback after diseased for years with kidney nephritis and a year following his kidney transplant. North Harbour Rugby Football Union (NHRFU) CEO, Noel Coom, announced on Friday that Lomu has signed a two-year contract to play for North Harbour in the NPC. Best of luck to the big fella!
posted by the red terror to other at 11:06 AM - 5 comments
Well, there are -- and have been -- better rugby players --even some who were on his own team when Lomu was at his peak (Michael Jones for one) -- but Lomu was a devastating FREAK who certainly had a massive impact on the game, especially when he pulled on a black jersey. It's also certainly true he was the biggest star of both the 1995 and 1999 World Cups.
posted by the red terror at 11:22 AM on April 08, 2005
This seems like a great thing for Lomu and maybe the league too. I wonder, though, how the post-transplant medication will fare against the drug testing scheme. They do drug tests in the NPC, right?
posted by billsaysthis at 03:06 PM on April 08, 2005
Hope he does well! I still remember the Rugby World Cup in 1991 I think it was. One shot of him running along, with three England players hanging off him.
posted by Drood at 09:51 PM on April 08, 2005
That was the 95 WC, Drood, when Lomu single-handedly kicked the ass of the entire England team. There have been lots of players better than Lomu, but none have ever matched the impact that he made when he first appeared on the scene. It was phenomenal, no exaggeration. Before Lomu, wingers were little short, skinny guys who could run around the tacklers, not through them. Now all of a sudden there was this 17-stone giant on the wing. Not only was he impossible to tackle - he could also run 100 metres in 11 seconds! Scary. Good to see him back though. If he hadn't had his illness, he would've been right up there with the greats.
posted by afx237vi at 02:15 PM on April 09, 2005
This is good news. I watch rugby only occasionally, but Lomu is the best player I ever saw. Good on him for getting back.