Argentina wear black No 11 jerseys as Lomu tribute

Argentina players warm up for the game wearing number 11 on shirts as a mark of respect to New Zealand player Jonah Lomu.

Argentina players warm up for the game wearing number 11 on shirts as a mark of respect to New Zealand player Jonah Lomu.

Argentina have paid Jonah Lomu a poignant tribute by donning black No 11 jerseys during their warm-up before their match against the Barbarians in London.

All Blacks wing Waisake Naholo, who played for the Barbarians, sported a RIP Jonah message on his wristband.

A minute's silence was held before kickoff to honour the victims of the Paris shootings and Lomu, who died in Auckland last week, aged 40.

Fiji's Waisake Naholo has RIP Jonah written on his bandage as he prepares to play for the Barbarians against Argentina in London.

Fiji's Waisake Naholo has RIP Jonah written on his bandage as he prepares to play for the Barbarians against Argentina in London.

The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported the Puma's gesture was  "a mark of respect for Lomu, who made four appearances for the Bar­barians between 2000 and 2002".

Meanwhile, the man built along similar lines to Lomu, Crusaders and wing Nemani Nadolo, the Fijian behemoth, paid his own tribute by crashing over for a Lomu-esque try, one of 13 scored.

Naholo also got on the scoresheet after snapping up a chip kick by All Blacks first five-eighth Lima Sopoaga.

Argentina won 49-31 before a crowd of around 38,000, running in seven tries to beat the team which contained five World Cup finalists 49-31 at Twickenham.

Winger Santiago Cordero crossed twice and set up another try for Argentina, whose entire matchday 23 are available for the newly formed South American franchise in next year's Super Rugby tournament.

The Barbarians' lineup contained recent World Cup winner Nehe Milner-Skudder of New Zealand, and Victor Matfield - a world champion with South Africa in 2007 who ended his international career with a late try.

Bakkies Botha, Matfield's second-row partner for the Springboks, played his last game of rugby and took the conversion after Matfield's try.


 - Stuff

Next All Blacks story:

New England coach Eddie Jones takes a shot at kick-happy All Blacks

Sport Homepage

Leave a Reply