Jonah Lomu considering overseas rugby contracts

Jonah Lomu

Jonah Lomu is looking at a move abroad in a bid to resurrect his rugby career.

The All Black great, sidelined this season with a shoulder injury, told the Herald on Sunday he was negotiating with "three or four" Northern Hemisphere teams about playing in the Heineken Cup.

The injury has halted Lomu's return to top rugby after his recovery from a kidney transplant in June last year. The 30-year-old's appearance in Martin Johnson's benefit match at Twickenham in June was his first in almost two years.

In the meantime, he has taken on a coaching role at North Harbour, the club he is contracted to for two seasons.

Lomu insisted his preference was to secure a Super 14 contract for next season, but said with no NPC rugby under his belt he would require a special exemption from the New Zealand Rugby Union to qualify for selection.

He was "exploring all possible avenues around that", but in the meantime had spoken to several teams keen to secure his signature for the Heineken Cup - the Northern Hemisphere equivalent of New Zealand's Super 12.

The cup includes some of the powerhouse teams of English and French rugby - Wasps, Toulouse, Munster and Stade Francais to name but a few - and runs from October 21 to May 21.

The 63-test veteran is expected to make a decision by the end of next month. Lomu would not reveal which clubs he was talking to, but it is understood clubs from Ireland and France are leading the chase.

Lomu wasn't sure how long he would stay abroad, but said he would definitely be back by May next year in time for preparations for the 2006 NPC campaign with North Harbour. From there he hoped to secure a 2007 Super 14 contract - and a spot in the All Blacks World Cup squad, "my ultimate goal".

"I've just set another game plan so I can get football. I just need game time. By the time I get the nod to play, the rugby season in New Zealand is over. So now I have to look at other options," he said.

"The game plan has veered slightly but the ultimate goal is still the same. But I'll only be up there for a short stint and then back to play NPC."

He was relishing the opportunity to live in the UK where he had "lots of good mates". "I will feel real comfortable there."

Lomu said he was recovering well from the operation to repair his left shoulder. Two screws were inserted into the shoulder following a fracture to the glenoid bone and he expected to be able to resume full training in two months.

In the meantime, he had been cycling, crosstraining and working hard on improving his speed.

He rubbished media speculation he was suffering from osteoporosis. Although anti-rejection drugs such as prednisolone could weaken bones and reduce muscular strength, Lomu said that was not so in his case. He had been thoroughly checked over by his medical team and there was no sign of any reduction in his bone density, he said.

"If anything my bones are stronger than they have ever been. It's just not an issue," he said.

"Rugby is a contact sport and bones do get broken. I was just unlucky to have it happen in my comeback match," he said.

"But I'm well on my way to recovery. I've been in a holding pattern for a little while now but that's allowed me to concentrate on getting my legs right after my ankle surgery. The upper body will get stronger real quick."

Lomu said he was relishing his assistant coaching role with North Harbour where he was acting as "another set of eyes and ears" for coach Alan Pollock. "Although it's disappointing I can't play, it's been fun working with the guys. But the priority is still to get out there and play again. I'm just itching to go," he said. "I think I have been helpful in some ways with the guys. We have a lot of guys stepping up to a level they haven't played before."

Lomu wouldn't rule out a fulltime coaching job after he retired from rugby but said that was a long way off and he still believed he had plenty to offer the game.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY