Jonah Lomu's story is extraordinary - in five years Jonah has gone from unknown South Auckland teenager to the biggest name in world rugby. During that time, Jonah has also faced
& brought under control a rare kidney condition, which threatened his career, taking him out of rugby for nearly a year.
It is an unlikely story. A New Zealander of Tongan descent, Jonah Lomu grew up in the tough suburbs of South Auckland. Whilst at Wesley College, his sporting talents became glaringly obvious and became his major focus - he had represented Auckland Primary Schools in Rugby League where he was devastatingly fast.
Jonah was also strong in track & field events.At 14, Jonah was invited to join a Counties development squad for promising teenagers - Jonah switched to Rugby Union. This is where he first met Phil Kingsley-Jones who was to become his manager and mentor.
Under the coaching skills of Chris Grinter of Wesley College, Jonah became a giant, mobile loose forward for a period of 5 years in the College's First XV. He represented Counties secondary schools and age-grade teams regularly. He was a huge young man with real promise. This raw ability came to national attention in 1994, when in his first year out of School, Jonah Lomu took the Hong Kong Sevens tournament completely by surprise. New Zealand rugby fans had never seen such a breathtaking combination of speed, power, ball skills and amazing tackle-breaking.
In May 1994 he made his representative debut for Counties in the unfamiliar position of wing - scoring three tries. His next game was the All Black trials, and at the age of 19 years 45 days, Jonah Lomu became the youngest All Black test player as he debuted against France in 1994. If 1994 was an exciting transition from School to Rugby - 1995 was to be phenomenal. At the 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa, Jonah Lomu stormed onto the world stage - named Player of the Tournament and scoring some of the best running tries ever seen in the game of rugby. His individual 4-try demolition of the English team in the semi-final was a defining moment. Jonah had arrived in a significant way.
1996 saw Jonah held back by niggling leg and shoulder injuries. However, it was the end of 1996 that saw Jonah diagnosed as having Nephrotic Syndrome, a rare and serious kidney disorder. His rugby career went on hold whilst Jonah tackled the problem head on. It is a tribute to him that by September 1997 he was running on to lift Counties to a thrilling 17-16 victory in the NPC semi-finals. Jonah's form was so good, he forced his way back into his beloved number 11 All Black jersey for 2 tests against England & Wales on tour in late 1997.
The highlight for Jonah in 1998 was a Gold Medal in the rugby sevens at the Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games. He thrived in the games environment, staying on to support the New Zealand athletes. The rapid rise of Jonah Lomu from schoolboy obscurity to international fame has been meteoric. Under Phil Kingsley Jones' steady management, Jonah has become internationally recognised, a hugely popular figure on tour, a global name. But Jonah has not forgotten where he comes from - he still lives in South Auckland, plays provincial rugby only for Counties, and gives back generously to his two key charities. Jonah Lomu has matured and is balancing his unusual life with poise.
In 1999, Jonah amazed the rugby-watching world with a huge World Cup. 8 tries, game-breaking moments, his special brand of power running at genuine speed. Jonah thrived in the World Cup atmosphere and although the All Blacks did not reach their objective, Jonah's reputation grew and grew. The rugby world was ready for a new hero, but no-one expected a superhero. Jonah Lomu's a new breed of rugby star for the new era of the game. Just like Superman he's hugely strong, handsome and larger-than-life...and his opponents usually come off second-best. Like any superhero the crowds adore him, reporters follow him and politicians line up to shake his hand.
He's only starting out and already his list of achievements reads like a list of the world's greatest sporting awards: Daily Express Sportsman of the Year, NZ Sports Personality of the Year, European Media's Rugby Player of the Year and BBC Television's Overseas Sports Person of the Year - an honour bestowed in previous years on the like of Muhammed Ali, John McEnroe and Emmerson Fittipaldi.