LIST: 5 players dubbed the 'next Jonah Lomu'

With the 'Welsh Jonah Lomu' George North winning his 100th cap this weekend, RUCK takes a look at the other players to be compared to the big man.

Over the years there have been many wings who have been likened to the late, great Lomu, a freak of nature whose pace and power when he burst on the scene in the 1990s changed rugby union for ever.

Many of those mentioned in the same sentence as the big man have ended up struggling to justify the hype...

A stupendous Lions tour to Australia propelled him into the stratosphere – with the Daily Mail calling him the Welsh Jonah Lomu. The image of him carrying 16-stone Israel Folau on his back was iconic, but suddenly on his return home the weight was all on North's shoulders. He's had an incredible career, and will win his 100th cap this weekend against England...but he's no Jonah Lomu.

DID YOU KNOW? In June 2019 North married his long-term partner, the Olympic cyclist Becky James

In 2010 Savea was touted as ‘the next Jonah Lomu‘. The powerhouse then stormed onto the international stage in 2012 and quickly proved himself as a powerful runner with ball in hand, hense the Lomu comparision, scoring nine tries in his debut season. In total he scored 46 tries in 54 appearances for the All Blacks before moving to Toulon in 2018.

DID YOU KNOW? Savea was nominated for World Rugby Player of the Year in 2014 and 2015, winning the award for Try of the Year in 2015

The powerhouse is the latest to get the ‘new Lomu’ billing after a rampaging display in New Zealand’s 27-7 win over the Wallabies in October 2020. One run saw the Blues player reduce the visitors’ cover to rubble as he blasted through five tackles, setting up a try for Ardie Savea.

The RugbyPass website reported: “It was the sort of run reminiscent of Jonah Lomu in his prime and the anticipation in the crowd was palpable every time the 21-year-old touched the ball.”

DID YOU KNOW? He is the son of Eroni Clarke, an All Black from 1992 to 1998, and Siala Clarke.

'Well, call off the search, Joe Cokanasiga is ready to be England’s very own Jonah Lomu' exclaimed The Times in 2019.

At almost 18 stone the powerhouse winger was like no other when he burst onto the scene in 2019 aged 20, but a mix of injuries and loss of form means he's only won nine caps to date.

DID YOU KNOW? Cokanasiga was born in Fiji but before his third birthday, moved to England with his father, Ilaitia, who was in the British Army

At the age of just 12 he stood 6ft tall and weighed 13 stone. He has grown a bit since then. Today, the Leicester Tigers wide man stands 6ft 5in tall and tips the scales at more than 20 stone. Similarly to Lomu he is massive but lightening quick; a true powerhouse. He won 30 caps for Fiji between 2010 and 2020.

DID YOU KNOW? He changed his name to Nemani Nadolo from Ratu Nasiganiyavi as an adult, adopting his mother's maiden name in 2009 instead of the surname of his father who had left the family home when he was young