Rugby: England women call up NZ-born on-screen ‘daughter’ of Jonah Lomu

All Blacks great Jonah Lomu (left) and England call-up Maddie Feaunati. Photo / Getty Images

Maddie Feaunati, the daughter of the on-screen Jonah Lomu in Invictus, is among the uncapped players named by coach John Mitchell in his first England Women’s Six Nations squad.

New Zealand-born Zak Feaunati, a former Bath and Samoa No 8, played the part of the great New Zealand wing in the 2009 film.

His daughter, a 21-year-old loose forward, was born in England while Feaunati was at Leeds Tykes. Maddie Feaunati has played in Super Rugby Aupiki, but made her Exeter Chiefs debut this season and has chosen England over the Black Ferns.

”I think she was also offered a New Zealand Ferns contract, but she turned that down to play for the Red Roses,” Mitchell said.

”I just saw this really naturally gifted, carrying footballer, who’s athletic, who’s young, who can also be a very, very good lineout jumper.”

Mitchell, England’s former defence coach under Sir Clive Woodward and Eddie Jones, compared the depth available to him to what he experienced as head coach of the All Blacks in the early 2000s.

England opens their campaign away to Italy on March 24, ending with a likely decider against France in Bordeaux on April 27. The match against Ireland is at Twickenham on April 20, a return for the Red Roses to the home of English rugby after a crowd of 58,498 watched the 38-33 victory over France last year.

It will be another white-versus-green Six Nations clash at Twickenham after the men beat Ireland thrillingly at the weekend.

”I just loved the euphoria of the game,” Mitchell said.

“The way it finished, it was great to see the stadium excited by what was delivered and also just the way that people are talking about it today just gives you an indication of what effect sport can have.

”We had an opportunity last year in the grand slam [decider]. We’re still driven by the fact that we want to fill the top green seats on a more consistent basis so that we can come here more regularly and any experience at Twickenham for us as Red Roses is certainly going to prepare us well for our home World Cup [in 2025].”

Other than the France fixture last year, England were convincing victors throughout, averaging almost 60 points scored and less than five conceded per match.

Since then they have won the inaugural WXV1 competition, hosted in New Zealand last year.

Mitchell joined the team during that competition, after he finished his duties as defence coach with Japan at the men’s World Cup.