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Lomu returning with eye on World Cup

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woosaah

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Lomu returning with eye on World Cup
12 April 2006 

Former All Black Jonah Lomu, who has not started a rugby match for the Cardiff Blues since early February after sustaining a hamstring injury, insists that he can still play for New Zealand in next year's World Cup.


The former New Zealand super star is fighting rumours that his career is sliding into oblivion and has vowed to force his way into Graham Henry's All Blacks squad for the 2007 World Cup in France, the South Wales Echo newspaper reported.

"There has been a great deal said about my fitness and my future and to be honest there are plenty of people out there who have been pretty judgmental about it," said Lomu, who made his name as a 19-year-old at the 1995 World Cup.

He is reported likely to return to New Zealand in six weeks.

"I have my goals and my immediate future lies back in New Zealand," Lomu told the newspaper.

"There is no reason why I can't get back in the national side and show people I am good enough to be considered for a place in the World Cup.

"That is my ultimate goal and I am determined to get there." YOUR SAY

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Lomu, 30, who played the last of his 63 tests for the All Blacks in 2002, underwent a kidney transplant in 2004 and went to Wales last year to help revive his career.

"I wasn't in great shape when I arrived because I had been away from the game for the best part of three years," Lomu said.

"I had shot up in weight and was struggling with my fitness.

"But the guys have been great. I have trained with them every day, but I have also spent hours training on my own.

AdvertisementAdvertisement"I have now lost between 10 and 11 kilos which means I can get back on the serious weights and start working my way back to where I once was."

When Lomu first arrived in Wales, his speed had disappeared and his potency on the field had gone with it.

Hours of work with speed coaches Linford Christie and Darren Campbell, as well as former Commonwealth Games high hurdler Paul Gray, have helped him improve.

"It has helped me no end and I am sure that as the weeks go on I will get quicker and quicker," he said.

"Once I get back to New Zealand I think much of that lost speed will be back.

"If that's the case, and I'm sure it will be, I will have a good crack at winning a contract to play Super 14 rugby.

"If I achieve that, there is no reason why I can't get back in the national side and show people that I am good enough to be considered for a place in the World Cup."
[/b]
http://stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3635798a1823,00.html
 
God he's a battler isn't he?

Great spirit. Won't do it, but he's got tremendous spirit.



Sorry, I won't say that he won't do it. Probably won't do it is better.
 
Best of luck to him... but me thinks him coming back is in the 2 hard basket.
It's hard enough getting a perminent spot on the Ab's wings (or any posiiton for that matter)... think he should turn his focus to porn.... I would in his posion.

Think of it.... Lomu does Dallas, Lomu does Wales, Return of the Lomu that did Wales... there could be some great movie ***les...
 
he can make it if henry and co. feel sorry for him....but i dont think any player would want in on mere pity,rather there skills..

but who knows....they(ab selectors) can use the excuse that he was chosen to boost team morale and add more leadership and experience that the boyz lost with tana standing down...and then pop him in like 2 pool games against the lesser teams

i wouldnt be suprised if this happens...i would be freakin surprised if the old lomu returns and prooves everyone in the world wrong about his skill level today
 
lomu will find it easier in the npc and the super 14, as thier is much more space for lomu to attack
 
yeah th cl has probably helped lomu on the physical side, as thier aint too many space more of barging people out of the way. He did in his last match look very good, and appears alot fitter. I would be shocked, based on what ive seen if lomu doesnt get a super 14 contract. I mean the blues need all the help they can get
 
Originally posted by loratadine@Apr 13 2006, 05:59 AM
lomu will find it easier in the npc and the super 14, as thier is much more space for lomu to attack
Are you joking? The S14 has tonnes of massive wingers mate, it's the comp in which teams are best at dealing with them.
The guy is gonna have a tough time if he wants to play S14 again... when the top teams play in that it's basically internation level.
 
yeah the defense in the s14 is pretty good, not much space for the wingers out wide. most of the wingers trys now are from broken play than anything else
 
I found this on BBC site. Kind of similar to Woosaah's opening post, but got some interesting points on his weight & fitness....

Jonah Lomu will start his first game for Cardiff Blues since the end of January in Saturday's Celtic League visit of Borders to the Arms Park.

The former All Blacks great replaces Craig Morgan, who drops to the bench.

The Six Nations and fitness problems have kept Lomu sidelined for over two months, but the 30-year-old says he is desperate for the Blues fans to see him perform somewhere near his best before the end of the season.

"I have kept myself to myself since Christmas and have concentrated on getting back some of the strength and speed that I lost," said Lomu.


"I wasn't in great shape when I arrived because I had been away from the game for the best part of three years.

"I had shot up in weight and was struggling with my fitness.

"But the guys have been great. I have trained with them every day, but I have also spent hours training on my own.

"It has been really frustrating in recent weeks because the game seems to have shut down since the start of the Six Nations Championship.

"But I have now lost between 10 and 11 kilos which means I can get back on the serious weights and start working my way back to where I once was."[/b]

I do hope he can get back to his best again.
 
what i want t o know is what the six nations and lomu have in common that kept him sidelined.

did he not want to play because he wanted to watch the six nations or what?
 
Originally posted by loratadine@Apr 13 2006, 06:59 AM
lomu will find it easier in the npc and the super 14, as thier is much more space for lomu to attack
i think he should stay in the north, where all the players retire and are old fat and slow.
 
dont be silly now sambad, Im very excited about this game as the last two outings i saw of lomu he was starting to look alot better
 
I saw Lomu walk down castle street a few weeks ago with Sidoli, Rhys Thomas and some other Blues player, they walked right past me and i didn't realise who they were because they we're wearing these light suits with light blue shirts. I was thinking "these people are quite big!" and then I realised who they were lol :lol: I didn't stop and look or anythong because they probably would've thoguht I was some kind of freak! :p
 
Originally posted by sanzar+Apr 13 2006, 09:02 AM-->
<!--QuoteBegin-loratadine
@Apr 13 2006, 05:59 AM
lomu will find it easier in the npc and the super 14, as thier is much more space for lomu to attack
Are you joking? The S14 has tonnes of massive wingers mate, it's the comp in which teams are best at dealing with them.
The guy is gonna have a tough time if he wants to play S14 again... when the top teams play in that it's basically internation level. [/b]
i reckon hed do well in the crusaders,after all they steal everyone elses players and turn them into cyborgs :D
 
Lomu damages ankle
18 April 2006 

Jonah Lomu's crusade to regain his All Blacks rugby jersey took another blow when the big wing suffered an ankle injury over the weekend.


Lomu was assisted from the field as his Cardiff Blues thumped Border's 46-11 in their Celtic League match on Saturday. The injury occurred when Lomu set up the Cardiff side's sixth and final try.

"The ankle is not broken and it appears at this stage that the damage is limited to the ligaments," a spokesman for Lomu said.

"At this time it's uncertain how long he could be out for, we'll be in a better position to know that late next week." the planet-rugby website reported today.

"Jonah will undergo further examination over the next few days to determine the full extent of the injury."

Lomu, 31 next month, was due to rejoin North Harbour for the Air New Zealand Cup competition at the end of the English season.

Lomu has consistently stated that he wants to play in the 2007 World Cup and add to his 63 tests after recovering from a kidney transplant in 2004 to combat a debilitating disease.

Lomu headed to Wales last season to revive his career and only just returned from a stint on the sidelines with a hamstring strain.

He also suffered a serious shoulder injury last year during a testimonial match.

North Harbour coach Allan Pollock told NZPA he was unsure about the extent of the injury as he had not yet spoken to Lomu or his manager.

Pollock said he would try and contact Lomu this week, but he was not overly concerned about his latest setback.

"Injuries happen. You just have to factor them into your plans and make sure you've got alternatives."

Pollock said he expected Lomu to be back in Auckland in time for their pre-season camp in early July.
[/b]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3640891a1823,00.html

surly this should be a sign, he should give it up now to many injuries to often cant be healthy.
 
If he does get back on to the pitch for the All Blacks, it would surely have to go down as one of the greatest sporting comebacks of all time.
 
Originally posted by THE CHIROPRACTOR101+Apr 16 2006, 11:13 AM-->
Originally posted by sanzar@Apr 13 2006, 09:02 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-loratadine
@Apr 13 2006, 05:59 AM
lomu will find it easier in the npc and the super 14, as thier is much more space for lomu to attack

Are you joking? The S14 has tonnes of massive wingers mate, it's the comp in which teams are best at dealing with them.
The guy is gonna have a tough time if he wants to play S14 again... when the top teams play in that it's basically internation level.
i reckon hed do well in the crusaders,after all they steal everyone elses players and turn them into cyborgs :D [/b]
Yeah the Crusaders will turn Lomu back into a monster machine....

....however the spell disapears once you take off the Crusaders jersey......

...imagine if Jerry, Rodney, Faatau and Ma'a dissed Colin Cooper and went down south to play under Deans!!!!!...The Crusaders would be champions forever!

The most amazing thing about Lomu is not his playing ability.....it is his training determination....he trains like a crazy fanatic!
 

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