Irish Examiner’s Jonah Lomu tribute shows we need a new flag says New Zealand prime minister

The prime minister of New Zealand has said the Irish Examiner’s tribute to Jonah Lomu shows the country needs a new flag.

Tue, 24 Nov, 2015 - 00:00

Conall Ó Fá;tharta

Prime minister John Key was speaking on a popular New Zealand radio show with Paul Henry when he made the comments.

A tribute from our front page to the late rugby legend #JonahLomu who sadly passed away at the age of 40. #RIPJonah pic.twitter.com/DlzESqqmdG
— Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) November 18, 2015

Mr Key highlighted the front-page image, showing a leaf shed from the iconic All Blacks’ silver fern, in making an argument for a fern on the new New Zealand Flag.

“Here’s the silver fern, front page, with one frond coming off like a tear, with Jonah Lomu and his years. Amazingly powerful. That’s New Zealand. Where was our flag? Nowhere. That’s the thing they use when we’re doing well and when we’re hurting. That’s our flag,” he said.

New Zealanders are set to choose a new flag in a referendum next year.

However John Key’s remarks were criticised as some felt he exploited the death of Jonah Lomu by attaching the tragedy to the flag referendum.

The simple and poignant graphic resonated with rugby fans across the globe following the death of the former winger Jonah Lomu last week.

It was shared by hundreds of thousands of fans around the world, with the Irish Examiner trending on social media in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and France.

The New Zealand Herald described the image as “a moving tribute” to the great, while French site ‘Ministry of Rugby’ featured the Irish Examiner front page in an article entitled “L’hommage de la presse internationale à Jonah Lomu avec la très belle Une de l’Irish Examiner”.

Sports stars from other codes also took to social media to praise the image, with former Ajax and Chelsea defender Mario Melchiot tweeting the image, describing it as a “brilliant tribute” to Lomu.