25 Years with Jonah Lomu | adidas

A household name.
A legend beyond legends.
A true titan of rugby.

Jonah Lomu played a huge role in defining New Zealand rugby, so it is more than fitting that as adidas celebrates its past 25 years with New Zealand rugby. His part in this is integral.

His journey with the black jersey has inspired so many more players to adorn the black jersey - through them his legacy lives on forever.

Follow us:

[jasonsheath]

Canadian here and a long time rugby player in my healthy youth until the day my health forced me to give up the game I loved. I remember the day I heard that Jonah had passed away. I cried...at 42 years old. Not because of the loss one of the best players ever to put on a rugby jersey - it was more personal than that.

I cried because he was my hero for a different and specific reason. Like Jonah I loved playing rugby with a passion and like Jonah, sadly, my athletic career was suddenly ended in my youth with one visit to a kidney doctor to learn I had an autoimmune disorder that had destroyed my kidneys and changed the whole trajectory of my life.

I watched and was so inspired as Jonah struggled through all of that and came out the other side after the marathon of dialysis and even managed to return to the pitch post transplant - playing for Cardiff and other teams. And then watching him return to health as an ambassador for the IRB and world rugby.

Jonah was a hero to many who had kidney failure around the world in a way that healthy people would never understand. As part of that community, we needed heroes like Jonah to show us how to survive, how to overcome and more than that...how to thrive despite our diagnosis. I recall watching a documentary about him months before he died where he talked about just wanting to stay alive long enough to see his kids turn 18. And upon hearing he didnt make it....being very emotional as a result. You see I had the same goal for my step son who was 4 when I met his mom in 2008 when I had already been on dialysis for 3 years.

I have been incredibly blessed because despite my journey that 4 year old is now 19 and about to leave home with for university after 11 years on dialysis and 8 years post transplant next week (July 13, 2024).. and his step dad is still here. I will always be thankful to Jonah and other exemplary humans who have trod this path of overcoming kidney failure to do great things. They are few in number, but their examples showed me that I could still hope, dream and fight for a good future despite a life threatening illness changing the course of my life at just 30 years old.

51 years old now and still get a little wistful watching Jonah run remembering how much he meant to rugby fans, to New Zealanders and to those like me who know about his other journey through kidney failure and transplant. Taken much too soon. RIP to a legend.

[donnybrascocoliogne]

JONAH IS THE HULK OF RUGBY....
R.I.L Dox, GOAT #11

[hyperturismo]

The greatest player to never win a Rugby World Cup. Absolute phenom who had skill unlike others before him, he proved that by running over English defenders like it was no hassle! And needless to say he was a decent guy too

[DollarBeats]

Adidas you are incredible sponsors, can we partner up? 📧

[arziva]

ADIDAS... Please make the Federico Maccapani - Adidas Ultra Boost X Yeezy shoes ! you don't have to call them yeezy... but please let us get the design... it would be the perfect shoe...

[DragonKeck]

Do a hoodie with arm Sleeves of Suit rainthrow