List of international rugby union tries by Jonah Lomu

Jonah Lomu was an international rugby union winger who played for New Zealand between 1994 and 2002.[1] He scored a total of 37 tries in 63 international appearances, which makes him the sixth highest try scorer for New Zealand and the eighteenth highest on the all-time list.[2][3] Lomu held alone the record for the most tries scored in the Rugby World Cup (15 in 11 matches at the 1995 and 1999 tournaments), until South Africa's Bryan Habana equalled his tally at the 2015 tournament.[4]

See caption
Jonah Lomu playing for the Cardiff Blues in 2006

Lomu made his debut for New Zealand in June 1994 against France.[1] He scored his first international try in his third appearance, scoring twice against Ireland in New Zealand's opening game of the 1995 Rugby World Cup.[1] This was followed with a try against Scotland in the quarter-finals and four tries against England in the semi-finals—the most Lomu would score in a single match. He was, however, unable to score a try in the final, as South Africa beat New Zealand to win the trophy.[5] Lomu played 13 times against South Africa during his career, but failed to score a try against them.[1] The only other "Tier 1" national team against which Lomu did not score a try was Wales.[1] Lomu finished 1995 with 12 international tries, his highest tally in a single year.[6]

After two tries in 1996, including one in the inaugural Tri Nations Series, Lomu was unable to score in three appearances during 1997. At the 1999 Rugby World Cup, he scored in each of New Zealand's group stage matches against Tonga, England and Italy. He followed this with a try against Scotland in the quarter-finals and two tries in the semi-finals, as New Zealand lost to France. Lomu's tally of eight tries in this tournament is a World Cup record, although it has since been equalled by Habana in the 2007 tournament and Lomu's countryman Julian Savea in the 2015 tournament.[7]

Lomu scored four tries in 2000, including a hat-trick against Scotland at Carisbrook and a try against Australia in the Tri Nations. This was followed by five tries in 2001, once again with a try against Australia in the Tri Nations. Lomu's final international tries came in November 2002, when he scored twice against England at Twickenham. Two weeks later, he made his last international appearance against Wales at the Millennium Stadium.[8] Lomu retired from professional rugby in 2007 due to a chronic kidney disorder. After suffering a heart attack on 18 November 2015 that was associated with his kidney condition, Lomu died at the age of 40.[9]

International tries

In the Score column, New Zealand's score is given first.
International tries scored by Jonah Lomu
TryDateOpposing teamScoreCompetitionVenueLocationRef.
127 May 1995  Ireland43–19Rugby World CupEllis ParkJohannesburg[10]
2
311 June 1995  Scotland48–30Rugby World CupLoftus VersfeldPretoria[11]
418 June 1995  England45–29Rugby World CupNewlandsCape Town[12]
5
6
7
822 July 1995  Australia28–16Bledisloe CupEden ParkAuckland[13]
929 July 1995  Australia34–23Bledisloe CupSydney Football StadiumSydney[14]
1028 October 1995  Italy70–6Test matchStadio Renato Dall'AraBologna[12]
11
1218 November 1995  France37–12Test matchParc des PrincesParis[15]
1315 June 1996  Scotland62–31Test matchCarisbrookDunedin[16]
146 July 1996  Australia43–6Tri NationsAthletic ParkWellington[17]
1520 June 1998  England64–22Test matchCarisbrookDunedin[18]
161 August 1998  Australia23–27Tri NationsLancaster ParkChristchurch[19]
1718 June 1999  Samoa71–13Test matchNorth Harbour StadiumNorth Shore City[20]
183 October 1999  Tonga45–9Rugby World CupAshton GateBristol[21]
19
209 October 1999  England30–16Rugby World CupTwickenhamLondon[22]
2114 October 1999  Italy101–3Rugby World CupGalpharm StadiumHuddersfield[23]
22
2324 October 1999  Scotland30–18Rugby World CupMurrayfieldEdinburgh[24]
2431 October 1999  France31–43Rugby World CupTwickenhamLondon[25]
25
2624 June 2000  Scotland69–20Test matchCarisbrookDunedin[12]
27
28
2915 July 2000  Australia39–35Tri NationsStadium AustraliaSydney[12]
3030 June 2001  France37–12Dave Gallaher TrophyWestpacTrust StadiumWellington[26]
3111 August 2001  Australia15–23Tri NationsCarisbrookDunedin[27]
3217 November 2001  Ireland40–29Test matchLansdowne RoadDublin[28]
3324 November 2001  Scotland37–6Test matchMurrayfieldEdinburgh[29]
341 December 2001  Argentina24–20Test matchEl MonumentalBuenos Aires[30]
358 June 2002  Italy64–10Test matchWaikato StadiumHamilton[31]
369 November 2002  England28–31Test matchTwickenhamLondon[12]
379 November 2002  England28–31Test matchTwickenhamLondon[12]

References