Jonah Lomu was a New Zealand rugby union player who transformed the wing position and became the sport's first global superstar at the 1995 Rugby World Cup, scoring seven tries including four in a devastating semi final performance against England that prompted opposing captain Will Carling to call him a freak. Standing 196 centimeters and weighing 125 kilograms with sprinter speed, he redefined what a winger could be during rugby's transition to professionalism. He played for years managing the kidney disorder nephrotic syndrome, received a transplant in 2004, and died of a heart attack linked to the condition in November 2015 at age 40.
Facts
Career HighlightDiagnosed with the kidney disorder nephrotic syndrome in late 1995, he continued playing for years before receiving a kidney transplant in July 2004 from his friend Grant Kereama. 1 Career HighlightFinished his international career with 63 caps and 37 tries for New Zealand, and his fifteen career Rugby World Cup tries remain a shared all time record. 1 Career HighlightScored seven tries at the 1995 Rugby World Cup, including four in a single semi final against England, a performance that made him rugbys first true global superstar. 1 Classification
Competition Category FAQs
How did Jonah Lomu return to rugby after his kidney transplant?
He made his comeback in December 2005 for Cardiff in a Heineken European Cup match at Calvisano.
Jonah Lomu was put on dialysis three times a week in 2003 as his kidney condition deteriorated, and a kidney donor was found in July 2004. He made his first appearance since the transplant in December 2005, starting and playing 60 minutes for the Welsh club Cardiff in a Heineken European Cup match at Calvisano in Italy.
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Source Wikipedia, Jonah Lomu
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Source Wikipedia, Jonah Lomutier 2
Sources
1. Wikipedia, Jonah Lomu
Wikimedia Foundation- Category: 20th-century New Zealand sportsmen
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Jonah Lomu was a New Zealand rugby union player who transformed the wing position and became the sport's first global superstar at the 1995 Rugby World Cup, scoring seven tries including four in a devastating semi final performance against England that prompted opposing captain Will Carling to call him a freak.
- Plays: Rugby Union
- Competed In: Rugby World Cup
View the Source Wikidata: Jonah Lomu
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