Iconic Jonah Lomu changed wing play forever, says shocked Isa Nacewa

Isa Nacewa was famously denied the opportunity to play Test rugby for New Zealand because of a brief cameo for Fiji at the 2003 World Cup, but the Leinster full-back clearly relishes the memory of sharing one All Blacks dressing room with Jonah Lomu five years ago.

Both were South Auckland boys and featured together on a star-studded Classic All Blacks side that went down to a World XV at Kuala Lumpur’s MBPJ Stadium Kelana Jaya in the summer of 2010. A nothing game at the time, maybe, and yet a special one now.

“I didn’t have that much to do with him (as a player),” said Nacewa yesterday, “but when we were with Classic All Blacks – and it’s a different atmosphere in itself – what struck me was we were playing a World XV, and he was preparing like it was a Test. He was in the corner with a towel over his head and his headphones on. There was no need ... well it’s a very different sort of environment. It’s like playing with the Baa Baas and there he is, preparing quietly himself.”