Lomu in France: 'It's all good'

LAWRENCE SMITH/Fairfax Media

LOVING IT: Rugby superstar Jonah Lomu says he's loving his new life in the south of France.

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Rugby superstar Jonah Lomu says he's loving his new life in the south of France where he hopes to write a successful final chapter to his storied career.

Lomu, who played 63 tests for the All Blacks between 1994 and 2002, popped into Milan for some promotional activities around New Zealand's historic test against Italy at the San Siro held early this morning.

The global rugby icon was a special guest at the famous Milan football stadium as his former team looked to extend their perfect record against the Azzurri.

And he confirmed to Stuff.co.nz that he, partner Nadene Quirk and their nine-month-old son Braylee had quickly settled into their new home in Marseille where he has signed a two-year deal to play rugby for the city's Vitrolles club in the French third division.

"I'm looking forward to it," he said at a special function at a Milan hotel on the eve of the game. "It's a great project. The city is really behind it. The group of players I'm going to be rubbing shoulders with are fantastic to be with.

"It's going to be a long-term project but also it's where I'm going to finish playing. I'm just going to make the most of it and bring my son up learning French, of all things, as we immerse ourselves in the culture."

Lomu, who remains the player most Europeans still most readily associate with international rugby, said he had deliberately chosen to live in central Marseille because he wanted to "get a feel for the city" as the Mediterranean port was now home.

The one-time blockbusting wing who recently competed in a body-building competition in New Zealand as part of his preparations for his rugby comeback said his family were settling in well after the long journey over from New Zealand.

They had stopped over in Tokyo en route to France where Lomu took in the Bledisloe Cup test around some promotional activities with Japanese rugby and the New Zealand government and had now had 10 days in Marseille to settle into French life.

Lomu said Nadene and Braylee were enjoying their new home and their dramatic change in environment.

"She's got the house, and she still runs her business back home, so that keeps her busy. Of course our son is our No 1 priority. He's only nine months but he's terrorising the house and the dogs.

"But it's all good."

The New Zealander also spoke about his hopes for son Braylee when he was asked a question about who he saw as the "next" Lomu in international rugby.

"For me the next person to me is my son. That's the way I see it. If he wants to play rugby he plays rugby. If he wants to play soccer he can play soccer. If he wants to play tiddly-winks I wouldn't care either.

"For me it's the sport, and you have to love the sport and enjoy the sport."

Lomu also spoke out on some other hot topics around rugby at the moment.

On the All Blacks: "They've been all right. As every team does when you have younger players coming through, you've got to bleed them through. They've done pretty well in terms of what they've had to go through with the restructuring of the team."

On New Zealand's World Cup bogey: "I don't shy from it -- we weren't good enough in the World Cups to win them. We still managed to be there or thereabouts but it's just that final hurdle that keeps tripping us up."

On the Springboks' one-dimensional style: "Rugby has always been a simple game. That's never changed. And South Africa do it really well. They get dominance up front, they eliminate their mistakes and if you make a mistake they'll punish you. This is why they're the world champions."

And on what drives him now in rugby: "It's not a job, it's a sport. You should play purely for the love and everything else will follow, because if you play for love and enjoy it, the just rewards will come at the end of it."

Lomu will play host to the All Blacks in "his" city next week when they play the final test of their tour there against France on November 28.

He says he'll be "catching up" with the boys on their way through and if they've got any sense, the "boys" should soak up some of Lomu's enthusiasm for life.