Rugby story by Boris Webb, Tue, 06 Dec 2005 13:12:00 GMT


As two of English rugby's teams Leicester and Wasps were drawn to play each other in a high intensity clash in the semi-finals of Powergen Cup at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on March 4, 2006, the match news was being overshadowed by former New Zealand player, Jonah Lomu. Lomu is expected to debut for the Cardiff Blues in the Heineken Cup on Saturday against Calvisano; this is one of the most anticipated comebacks ever in World rugby.

The 30-year-old Lomu who had had a kidney transplant in 2004 is likely to be included in the 22-man squad in Italy. The former All Blacks wing is preparing to play his first game of rugby after a hiatus of six months.

Cardiff coach David Young did not confirm if Lomu would play against the Italians. He said: “When we play Jonah is the question on everyone's lips at the minute. As soon as we feel he is ready to play he will play. In fairness to him he wants to get out there as soon as possible. But we aren't going to fast-track him. If we don't feel he is in a position to do himself justice, he won't want to play himself.”

But Calvisano is bracing itself to play against Lomu in their Pool 2 clash in the Heineken Cup. His chances of being there are quite high since Cardiff Blues has to win this match to better its chances of qualifying.

Calvisano team manager Deane McKinnel said: “That's fantastic news for us. There are no soccer matches here on Saturday, which should make a huge difference, and already there are signs that the promise of seeing Jonah is tempting fans. He added: “Most of our team are internationals but it will still be great for them to come up against a player of his worldwide reputation and high-profile status.”

Lomu is hoping to regain the magic of the 1995 World Cup, where during his stint for All Blacks he became rugby's top star at 19 by being named the player of the tournament.

More Sporting Stuff