Rugby: Lomu sleepwalks time trial

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Jonah Lomu managed little more than a steady dawdle as he completed an incredibly slow 3km time trial at Newtown Park in Wellington yesterday.

The world's highest paid rugby player was lapped by everyone in the Hurricanes Super 12 squad as he crawled around the track in 17m 35s.

Lomu's dislike of the 3km fitness test is well known and he has twice been left out of All Black training squads because of poor 3km times - by Laurie Mains in 1995 and last year by John Hart.

Lomu was disappointed with yesterday's effort but said he had been battling fatigue after spending two sleepless nights at Middlemore Hospital where his father, Semisi Lomu, is being treated for a heart problem.

"But that's no excuse to run that bad," said Lomu, who has a personal best for the 3km of 13m 29s.

With the Wellington round of the international sevens series only three weeks away, Lomu's fitness could be an issue when the squad assembles in Palmerston North next Friday.

Coach Gordon Tietjens said sevens tested a player's aerobic fitness not only on attack, but also in defence and work off the ball. Aerobic fitness would be a key selection criteria.

However, Tietjens ruled out the prospect of Lomu not being picked.

"Jonah will play in Wellington. He knows what I expect and I'm sure he has been putting the work in," Tietjens said.

Lomu will be joined in the sevens squad by Hurricanes teammate Christian Cullen and was confident his fitness would not be a problem in the tournament.

"I seem to go better with the ball in my hands," he said.

Lomu said he also enjoyed playing sevens with the extra space to run and was optimistic the weekend tournament would boost his confidence going into the Super 12.

Meanwhile, Crusaders coach Robbie Deans is pleased with the level of fitness in the squad, who assembled yesterday after the Christmas break and will today head across the great divide for a six-day camp in the Buller and West Coast regions. - NZPA