Profile Text
Lomu in 2005, photo credit: Bigpip
Birth Name: Jonah Tali Lomu
Date of Birth: 12 May, 1975
Place of Birth: Pukekohe, Auckland, New Zealand
Date of Death: 18 November, 2015
Place of Death: Auckland, New Zealand
Ethnicity: Tongan
Jonah Lomu was a New Zealand rugby union player. A wing and number 8, he played for Counties Manukau, Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Wellington, Cardiff Blues, North Harbour, and Marseille Vitrolles, and for the New Zealand national team, New Zealand Barbarians, New Zealand A, and Barbarian F.C.; as well as for the New Zealand national sevens team. One of the sport’s most intimidating players on the field, he had a huge impact on rugby union, and was generally regarded as its first true global superstar. He had sixty-three caps as an All Black (New Zealand national rugby team), after debuting in 1994. He was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame on 9 October, 2007. He was 6′5″.
Jonah’s parents were from Holopeka, a village on Lifuka in the Ha’apai Islands. He was mostly raised in Mangere, an Auckland suburb, though he spent some of his early childhood on Holopeka, with his aunt Longo and uncle Mosese. He spoke Tongan and Englsih, as well as French, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, and some Russian. Jonah was a cousin of rugby union footballer Seti Kiole and rugby football player John Tamanika.
He was married to Nadene Quirk, until his death, with whom he had two children.
Jonah’s maternal grandfather was named Vili Kiole Taufa.
Jonah’s maternal grandmother was named Latu Po’ulia Alavala Kiole Anau (the daughter of Netane Anau Mahe). Latu was born in Uiha, Ha’apai, Tonga. Netane was the son of Alisi Kafo’atu Mahe.
Source: Genealogy of Jonah Lomu – http://www.geni.com