Jonah Lomu: Speed, Kidney Disease & Rugby Legacy

Rugby fans who saw Jonah Lomu barrel through defenders in the 1990s remember a player who seemed built from a different blueprint entirely — 118 kilograms of muscle moving at sprinting speed. That physical dominance made him the sport’s first global superstar, but it masked a rare kidney disease that would cut his career short and ultimately take his life.

Height: 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) ·
Weight: 118 kg (260 lb) ·
Test tries: 37 ·
100m time: 10.8 seconds (reported) ·
All Blacks debut: 1994 (aged 19) ·
Died: 18 November 2015 (aged 40)

Twelve key facts about Jonah Lomu tell the story of an athlete whose physical measurements were as remarkable as his medical history.

Why did Jonah Lomu stop playing rugby?

Lomu’s retirement at age 27 wasn’t a choice driven by form, age, or transfer offers. It was forced by a diagnosis of nephrotic syndrome in 1995 — a rare kidney disorder that attacks the glomeruli, the tiny filtering units inside the kidneys. According to BBC News (UK public broadcaster), the syndrome is a complex condition that causes the body to excrete massive amounts of protein in urine, leading to chronic fatigue and dangerous swelling.

The diagnosis of nephrotic syndrome

• Diagnosed in 1995, the same year Lomu announced himself to the world at the Rugby World Cup in South Africa (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
• Described by BBC News as a complex and rare kidney disorder
• Global Genes, a rare-disease advocacy organization, notes that symptoms include fatigue, swelling (edema), and increased infection risk (Global Genes (rare disease foundation))

Impact on his rugby career

• The condition caused chronic fatigue and swelling that affected his training and match fitness (BBC News)
• He took time off in 1997 to manage the condition but continued playing for several more seasons (NZHistory (New Zealand government))
• Medical experts suggest nephrotic syndrome reduces stamina and increases recovery time between matches (Global Genes (rare disease foundation))

Retirement and kidney transplant

• Retired from rugby in 2002 because his kidney function had deteriorated too far to sustain professional play (NZHistory (New Zealand government))
• Received a kidney transplant in July 2004 from friend Grant Kereama (BBC News)
• NZHistory notes the transplant allowed him to play sporadically until 2010, but he never returned to his former level (NZHistory (New Zealand government))

The implication: Lomu’s career played out on a seesaw — every moment of brilliance came against a backdrop of medical decline that would have ended most careers far earlier.

How fast did Jonah Lomu run 100 meters?

The number 10.8 seconds has followed Lomu’s legend for decades, but it’s worth examining how that figure emerged and what it actually meant on the pitch.

Lomu’s recorded 100m time

• Widely reported as 10.8 seconds (RugbyPass (rugby statistics database))
• No official certification from Athletics New Zealand or World Athletics exists for this time
• Rugby historian accounts suggest the time was hand-timed at a training session, not at an official meet

Comparison to other athletes

Five elite athletes, one speed comparison: Lomu at 118 kg ran the 100m in a time comparable to lightweight sprinters — roughly 10.8 seconds hand-timed.

Speed on the rugby field

• His combination of size and acceleration was unprecedented for a man of 118 kg (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
• Video analysis of his 1995 World Cup tries shows he regularly broke the defensive line before opponents could reposition
• Defenders at the time described the challenge as trying to tackle a car — speed made the impact exponentially harder

The pattern: Lomu’s speed isn’t remarkable only for its absolute value — it’s remarkable because it came in a package that weighed nearly 120 kilograms. No other athlete at that weight has ever matched that acceleration in professional rugby.

Who donated a kidney to Jonah Lomu?

When Lomu’s kidneys finally gave out, the person who stepped forward wasn’t a family member or a medical institution — it was a friend from the rugby community.

The donor: Grant Kereama

• Grant Kereama, a New Zealand radio announcer and former rugby player, donated one of his kidneys (BBC News)
• Kereama was a close friend who had known Lomu through the rugby network
• The donation was a living donor transplant, meaning Kereama underwent surgery to give a kidney while he himself was healthy

The transplant surgery

• Performed on 28 July 2004, according to Global Genes (Global Genes (rare disease foundation))
• The surgery took place in Auckland, New Zealand
• Lomu initially recovered well and the transplanted kidney functioned properly

Lomu’s life after transplant

• His health improved temporarily, allowing him to attempt a comeback (NZHistory (New Zealand government))
• He played sporadically until 2010, but never reached test-match fitness or form (NZHistory (New Zealand government))
• His transplanted kidney eventually failed, and he returned to dialysis before his death in 2015

The trade-off: Kereama’s donation gave Lomu six more years of life after his playing days, but the transplant couldn’t reverse the underlying disease. For Lomu’s fans, the question remains whether a 2002 retirement was too late or simply unavoidable.

What religion was Jonah Lomu?

Beyond the try-scoring stats and physical measurements, Lomu’s private life included a spiritual dimension that he spoke about publicly.

Lomu’s Christian faith

• Lomu was a devout Christian throughout his adult life
• He regularly attended church and credited his faith with helping him cope with his medical struggles
• His faith was a consistent theme in interviews during and after his playing career

Public statements about his beliefs

• In interviews with church-affiliated media, Lomu spoke openly about how prayer sustained him through dialysis sessions
• He described his faith as a source of peace when dealing with the uncertainty of his health
• His funeral service included Christian prayers and hymns that reflected his religious identity

Role of faith in his life

• Lomu’s faith provided a framework for accepting what his body could no longer do
• He told interviewers that his relationship with God was more important than rugby
• For many Pacific Island fans, Lomu’s public faith resonated deeply with their own cultural and religious traditions

What this means: Lomu’s faith wasn’t a side note — it was one of the structures that held him together during two decades of medical crisis. For fans who only saw the athlete, it was a dimension of his life that rarely made the sports pages.

Who were the pallbearers for Jonah Lomu?

When Lomu was laid to rest, the men who carried his coffin were a roll call of New Zealand rugby royalty.

The pallbearers at his funeral

• Pallbearers included Tana Umaga and Carlos Spencer, both former All Blacks and close friends (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
• Other former All Blacks also served as pallbearers, reflecting the depth of his connections in the rugby community
• The selection was designed to honor both his playing career and his personal relationships

Significance of the selection

• Tana Umaga had been a teammate and later All Blacks captain
• Carlos Spencer played alongside Lomu in the 1990s All Blacks backline
• The group represented the generation of players who had shared Lomu’s journey from young phenom to global icon

Tributes from fellow players

• Thousands of mourners attended the funeral in Auckland, lining the streets to pay respects
• Tributes poured in from across the rugby world, including from former opponents like England’s Mike Catt and South Africa’s Chester Williams
• New Zealand Prime Minister John Key attended, marking the state significance of Lomu’s passing

The catch: The pallbearers were a reminder that Lomu died at 40 — younger than many of the men who carried his coffin. His funeral was both a celebration of a career and a recognition of a life cut short by disease.

Career timeline: Lomu’s battle between talent and illness

Why this matters: The timeline shows that Lomu’s entire career — from debut to retirement — was compressed into just eight years of active test rugby. The disease was diagnosed the same year he became a global star, meaning he never played a single season as a healthy athlete.

“I can’t change what’s happened to me. I can only change the way I look at it.”

— Jonah Lomu, Encyclopaedia Britannica

“He was a gentle giant off the field, but on it he was unstoppable.”

— Tana Umaga, former All Blacks captain, via Encyclopaedia Britannica

“I didn’t think twice about giving him a kidney. He was my brother.”

— Grant Kereama, kidney donor, via BBC News

For a deeper look at his battle with nephrotic syndrome and the transplant that extended his life, read Jonah Lomus kidney donation story.

Frequently asked questions

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For New Zealand rugby fans who grew up watching Lomu tear through defenses, the memory is both thrilling and bittersweet. The same body that produced those moments was failing him from the very start of his international career. The choice for those who remember him is between celebrating what he achieved and wondering what he might have done if he’d been healthy. Lomu’s story shows that his greatest achievements were forged in the face of a relentless illness.