The son of late All Blacks icon Jonah Lomu has made a shock revelation – if he follows his famous father into rugby, it’s France he wants to represent.
Dhyreille Jonah Lomu, a winger like his dad, was born in France during Jonah’s brief stint with Marseille, meaning international eligibility wouldn’t be an issue.
Nicknamed ‘Frenchie’ at school in New Zealand, Dhyreille is already turning heads at age-grade tournaments and is showing early signs of serious talent.
Jonah’s time in France came towards the end of his glittering career, which also included a spell at Cardiff Blues. Tragically, the global rugby superstar passed away in 2015.
Jonah finished with 63 caps and 37 tries for New Zealand – and is still widely regarded as the game’s first global megastar.
But while Jonah lit up the rugby field, his sons Brayley, 15, and Dhyreille, 14, are carving their own path – with a tennis ball, not a rugby one.
Their dream of becoming professional athletes led to a switch three years ago from traditional schooling to Te Kura, New Zealand’s correspondence school, so they could maximise their training time.
“Professional sport is hard, but playing tennis is our life. I love all kinds of exercise, and doing online school means we can fit in a lot more training,” says Dhyreille, who strongly resembles his famous dad. “Depending on when we can get court time, I can be playing tennis from 9am until about 7.30pm.”
Their mum Nadene, and grandfather Mervyn, play a huge role in their development – with Mervyn often coaching and shuttling the boys across Auckland for court time.
“The love within our family is pretty special,” says Nadene. “Dad and the boys cruise and gym together. I’m very grateful to have parents who love me.”
The brothers are humble and well-mannered – quick to help, respectful, and focused. Brayley is the quieter of the two, but admits:
“Dhyreille is the most competitive by far!”
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Three Lions Players Who’ve Underperformed – and Who Should Replace Them
The British & Irish Lions roared back into action with a bang – or at least a bounce – after their opening 28-24 defeat in Dublin.
That loss to Argentina had its moments of flair, but also plenty of rust, sloppiness, and sweat under the unusually sunny skies at a packed-out Aviva Stadium.
Fast forward to Perth, and Andy Farrell’s men got their campaign properly up and running with a commanding 54-7 win over the Western Force. But while the scoreboard looked much healthier, not everything under the hood is running smoothly – especially when it comes to squad selection.
Let’s get stuck in…
❌ Jac Morgan – Great for Wales, But Not Lion-Level?
Jac Morgan might be Wales’ top dog, but let’s not sugarcoat it – Wales are miles off the pace, and Morgan’s inclusion raises eyebrows.
With Toulouse’s Jack Willis sipping champagne in France after lifting the Top 14 trophy, it borders on a rugby crime that he’s not on this tour.
Willis is widely tipped as the best back-rower in world rugby right now – ferocious at the breakdown, relentless in defence, and dynamic with ball in hand.
The Lions are supposed to be the cream of the crop. Morgan? Good player, no doubt. But Lions quality? Not quite.
