Healey to relive Lomu menace

Jonah Lomu still holds hopes of playing for the All Blacks again. File picture

The man who will be marking Jonah Lomu in his comeback match says he won't be "taking it easy" on the giant winger when they face each other at Twickenham tomorrow.

Austin Healey has been given the job by former England captain Martin Johnson of containing Lomu in the former All Black's first competitive match since kidney disease threatened to bring to a close his rugby career.

Surprisingly, Healey - who weighs 88kg and stands a mere 1.77m - said the challenge of marking 121kg Lomu was one he relished.

And although Lomu could be considered vulnerable because of his new kidney, he would be treated like any other player.

"That's the way Jonah would want it, I'm sure," Healey said.

"He doesn't expect any favours. You just have to play the game hard and fair. Jonah wouldn't be out there if there were any risk."

Healey said for his sake he hoped Lomu had lost some of his explosive pace during his layoff, "otherwise its going to be a hard day".

He still had vivid memories of Lomu "running over my head" in the All Blacks' victory against England at the 1999 World Cup.

So what strategies did he have to stop Lomu?

"I've got a couple of snipers positioned around the stadium and they are under strict instructions to hit him with a tranquilliser dart if he gets anywhere near me.

"I've got the toughest job on the park, so I just hope we can stop the ball getting to him."

Johnson's 22 have accumulated more than 800 test caps and the Leicester lock said while the match was a testimonial, the competitive spirit would be as strong as ever.

He was sure Healey had a plan to deal with Lomu: "It's just that I don't know what it is".

He was pleased Lomu had made the difficult journey back and was in no doubt he could go on and enhance his reputation.

"We are going to enjoy it and go out and play some good rugby. I'm sure that's what Jonah will be wanting to do as well.

"Jonah has brought a great bunch of players here and he's here to prove a point and launch himself back on to the world scene. This match might be classed as a friendly but I know it will be a highly competitive game."

Lomu had been the game's biggest star for more than a decade and it was fitting he returned to rugby.

"A lot of people would have said, 'I'm happy with my lot,' but not Jonah. That makes him pretty special."

Martin Johnson Testimonial

* Twickenham

6.30am tomorrow live on TV 1

* Stephen Cook of the Herald on Sunday is in Britain courtesy of Emirates Airlines