Blood and Thunder

Will Carling called him a freak and even the toughest sportsmen have been known to step to one side when he thunders down the field. Jonah Lomu is not a player to argue with. From his gangland childhood, which included seeing an uncle murdered, he has learnt life the hard way. The scars on his arms and his body are a constant reminder of where he came from. Yet Lomu is not only the All Blacks toughest guy. Central to his life is his Christian faith which reveals a totally different side to his personality. The hard man of sport is also the hero of school boys and community leaders for his stand against drugs and violence. His battle against injury is an example of his courage and determination. This text explores the life, the sport and the contradictions in Jonah Lomu, the man who would win the World Cup.