Irate Lomu slams NZRU

Jonah Lomu

Jonah Lomu - accused of undermining New Zealand's Rugby World Cup bid - has delivered a denial and withering attack on the NZRU for slamming the door in his face as a player and not using him to promote the World Cup effort.

Lomu, 30, who confirmed yesterday he had signed a seven-month contract with Welsh side Cardiff Blues in a deal aimed at resurrecting his rugby career, claimed the NZRU had turned its back on him when he was ill - and now it wanted nothing more to do with him.

"It's very disheartening. People have recently questioned my loyalty to New Zealand. For me, that has never been an issue. Where has that loyalty got me? Nowhere," Lomu said yesterday.

"When I was sick the union said they would give me privacy and leave me to work through the issues on my own. Now that I am well, they still don't want to know me.

"It's the million-dollar question - why don't they want to have anything to do with me?

"I wonder about people who run rugby in this country."

Last week, Lomu, the All Black synonymous with the 1995 and 1999 World Cups, was in the firing line after being reported in the South China Morning Post newspaper as backing Japan's bid for the 2011 World Cup.

The controversy comes at a time when the NZRU is entering the home stretch in a three-horse race with Japan and South Africa to host the cup. South Africa have begun their final round of intense lobbying, with New Zealand and Japan to follow this month before the International Rugby Board chooses the winner at its council meeting in Dublin on November 17.

Lomu again insisted yesterday he had been misquoted and said he was firmly behind New Zealand's bid to win the hosting rights.

He was miffed, however, that given his impact in the 1995 and 1999 World Cups the NZRU had not approached him to assist with the bid. "It's consistent with the way they have treated me over the years," he said.

Certainly Lomu's impact as an ambassador can not be under-estimated, particularly in Britain where he is enormously popular. The first public sign of a rift between Lomu and the NZRU emerged in November 2003 when Lomu, battling a debilitating kidney condition, was offered only a $50,000 annual contract - a fraction of the estimated $400,000 he had been on previously.

He was reluctant to go into specifics about why he believed the NZRU had shunned him but did say he was disappointed not to have at least been considered for an exemption to play Super 14 rugby next year.

NZRU CEO Chris Moller said last night: "The NZRU and myself personally have been in contact with Jonah's management team over the past 12 months around his comeback to the rugby field and other activities. We have only ever wished the best for Jonah and for him to be able to fulfil his desire to continue playing rugby.

"We have not always agreed on everything, but I believe we have tried to treat Jonah honestly and fairly through this period. While we are disappointed in the comments Jonah has made in relation to the NZRU and do not accept some of his criticisms, we understand that this has been a challenging and frustrating time for him in his goal to return to competitive action."

Lomu said he was putting the differences with the NZRU behind him and was looking forward to Cardiff and the Celtic, Heineken and Powergen competitions. He arrives in Wales next month and hopes to make his debut in December. Cardiff also has former Blues captain Xavier Rush on its books. Lomu will return to New Zealand in June for the 2006 NPC with North Harbour.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY