Auckland, New Zealand of Tongan descent. He grew up in South Auckland and attended Wesley College, Pukekohe. He is generally regarded as the first true global superstar of rugby union, and one of the sport's most intimidating players on the pitch, and has had a huge impact on the game. Lomu burst onto the international rugby scene during the 1995 World Cup in South Africa. At one time Lomu was considered 'rugby union's biggest drawcard', swelling attendances at any match where he appeared. He has played for several provincial teams, in the National Provincial Championship (NPC) and Super Rugby competitions. These included the Auckland Blues, Waikato Chiefs, and later the Wellington Lions and Hurricanes. He is making a comeback after undergoing a kidney transplant in 2004. He has been married to Fiona Taylor since 2003.
Physical attributes
Lomu's physique was particularly suited for rugby as he is large, fast, and strong - qualities he augments with aggression, skill, and an intimidating presence on the field. At 1.96metres (6 foot 5 inches/195.58 centimetres), Lomu is as tall as most locks, and at 119 kilograms (19.5 stone/273 pounds) is as heavy as most prop forwards. Despite his size he was (the All Blacks heaviest ever back), when healthy, still able to run 100 metres (109.4 yards) in 10.8 seconds.
At school his sprint training included running around the field and pulling a lawn-roller with a rope tied around his waist. Lomu played rugby league until the age of fourteen. While at Wesley and being coached by Chris Grinter, Lomu became a mobile loose forward in the college's First XV. He was soon noticed by provincial rugby selectors, and joined the Counties Manukau NPC team side. Lomu was also selected for national age-grade sides, representing New Zealand under-17 in 1991-92 and New Zealand Secondary Schools in 1992-93.
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