Jonah Lomu Could Bench More Than Joe Marler – Let That Sink In
04/17/2025 05:11 PM
At his peak, Jonah Lomu wasn’t just the face of rugby—he was its most unstoppable force. Anyone who stood in his way during the 1995 Rugby World Cup learned that the hard way. Just ask the entire England backline, who were left in his wake after that semi-final performance.
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The All Blacks winger, still just 20 at the time, exploded onto the scene with a jaw-dropping seven tries, including four in one game against England, as New Zealand stormed into the final. But here's what makes it even more insane—Lomu was doing it all while battling nephrotic syndrome, a rare and debilitating kidney condition. A true warrior, in every sense.
By the time the 1999 Rugby World Cup rolled around, he was back for more. Eight more tries, to be exact. His final tally? 15 tries in World Cup history—a record that stood untouched until Bryan Habana finally caught up.
Lomu's impact wasn't just on the pitch. Off it, he was benching like a heavyweight lifter and sprinting like a sprinter. During a Q&A with The Independent, he casually dropped his gym numbers, and they were utterly ridiculous:
- Bench Press: 220kg
- Squat: 340kg
Let's not forget, this wasn't a prop. This was a winger—the kind of player usually built for finesse and flair, not sheer brute force.
And despite being able to pack on 2–3kg of muscle in a week, Lomu still prioritised speed and explosiveness, mixing in plyometrics, cross-training and bungee work. His diet? A good old-fashioned plate of mashed potatoes, spaghetti and bread with tomato sauce. Carbs for days.
Lomu finished his All Blacks career with 37 tries in 63 Tests, and even added a Commonwealth Games gold medal in 1998 to his stacked résumé.
Gone far too soon at just 40, Jonah Lomu wasn't just a rugby player—he was a phenomenon. And judging by those gym stats, he might have been built in a lab.
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Duhan van der Merwe Among Four Major Doubts for Lions Tour in Devastating Blow
The British & Irish Lions tour is the pinnacle of rugby for players from England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales—but for some big names, injury could spell disaster.
With Andy Farrell set to name his squad on May 8, time is running out for these four stars to prove their fitness and book their ticket to Australia.
Duhan van der Merwe – A Race Against Time
Scotland's record-breaking winger Duhan van der Merwe is facing a race against time to be fit for the British & Irish Lions tour – and things aren’t looking great.
The 29-year-old powerhouse, who has crossed the whitewash an incredible 32 times in just 49 Tests, picked up an ankle injury early in Edinburgh's recent United Rugby Championship win over the Dragons.
While the club has stayed coy about the full extent of the damage, they revealed on Tuesday night that Van der Merwe is "expected to return during May" following MRI scan results earlier in the week.
That timeline means the big man is almost certain to miss the rest of Edinburgh's run-in – somewhere between three and five matches depending on their European Challenge Cup fate – just as Lions boss Andy Farrell prepares to finalise his touring squad.
Having started all three Tests on the 2021 Lions tour of South Africa, Van der Merwe looked a near-certainty once upon a time. But with Ireland's deadly duo James Lowe and Mack Hansen, England flyer Tommy Freeman, and his Edinburgh teammate Darcy Graham all in electric form, his chances are slipping fast.
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