Jonah Lomu’s sons chose a very different sport after rejecting rugby path

Dhyreille and Brayley Lomu have chosen tennis as they aim to build careers of their own.

Their father became rugby’s first global superstar during the 1990s. He scored 37 tries in 63 Tests for New Zealand and changed how the game was played.

However, his sons have taken a very different path.

🚨 Follow @rucktransfers on Instagram for the latest rugby transfer news, rumours and done deals.

The brothers first spoke about their tennis dream during an interview with 1News in 2021.

They had already been playing the sport for more than three years at that stage.

Brayley said: “To be the best tennis player in the world you should put in effort and always try hard.”

Dhyreille shared the same huge ambition.

He said: “My dream is to become a number one professional tennis player in the world.”

Their grandfather, Mervyn Quirk, helped to coach them during the early years of their development.

Dhyreille said one of the best parts of the sport was being able to spend time with him.

Quirk believed both boys had the talent to go far.

He said: “Having spent three years or so with the boys on the court, with the background and the experience I’ve had, I identify them as being a serious talent.”

The brothers later moved away from normal school and began studying online. This allowed them to spend more time on the court.

Dhyreille revealed that some days could include more than ten hours of tennis and training.

The choice also allowed the brothers to escape the huge weight of their famous surname.

“Dad will always be the best and I thought to maybe give something else a try cause I’ll never be better than him,” Dhyreille explained.

However, rugby has remained part of the family’s life.

Dhyreille was born in France during the final years of his father’s career. That link has led to past talk about which nation he might represent if he ever returned to rugby.

For now, though, the brothers appear keen to make the Lomu name famous in another sport.

Jonah Lomu died in November 2015 at the age of just 40. His death was linked to the kidney condition he had battled for much of his life.

He scored 15 tries across the 1995 and 1999 Rugby World Cups.

His display against England in the 1995 semi-final remains one of the most famous performances in rugby history. Lomu scored four tries as New Zealand won 45-29.

Now, his sons hope to create sporting memories of their own—with a tennis racket rather than a rugby ball.