Jonah Lomu has signed to the Wellington Rugby Football Union for two years and will be eligible to play for both the Hurricane’s Super 12 team and the Lions NPC team. There is some talk about the odd game for the Petone club too. Jonah says he is looking forward to working with Christian Cullen and Tana Umaga . He doesn’t know where he will live yet. And he says he would be lying if he said Teina Stace had not influenced his decision to come to Wellington, but that it had been made for “professional” reasons. He wouldn’t say who he would vote for. Nor how much he would be paid – though the Union stressed that happiness not money had been the focal point of negotiations with Jonah and his manager Phil Kingsley Jones. Jones said he wouldn’t even provide a “ballpark” estimate, “and not a goalkeeper figure either” – “if you knew how much Jonah was earning you would know how much I am earning and that would be awful”, Jones said.

As for Jonah Wellington - he said - made him feel peaceful. He likes being surrounded by water.

So does Scoop. Welcome to Wellington Jonah!

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Jonah In His New Kit – On the “Awesome” Pitch Of Wellington’s New Stadium

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Teina Stace and Jonah

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Jonah and Teina Stace

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Jonah With The Suits

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New Teammates Tana “Oh Ah” Umaga and Filo Tiatia

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Jonah’s “Awesome” New Home – Wellington’s Westpactrust Stadium

Story and photos - Alastair Thompson

© Scoop Media

Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

CONTACT ALASTAIR THOMPSON

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