FLASHBACK: The Christian Cullen and Jonah Lomu show | NPC Final 2000

FLASHBACK ⚡🔙
A look back at the @BunningsNPC Final from 2000, Canterbury vs Wellington. The Christian Cullen and Jonah Lomu show.
The NPC Final is LIVE tonight on Sky Sport with buildup from 6.30pm. #BunningsNPC #SkySportNZ

[@3xTuesday]

Lomu v Vunibaka is worth the price of admission alone. What an epic night that was. Can’t believe it has been 22 years.

[@harleylyons1889]

The crowds back then were unreal!! More than Super Games

[@julianpalmer4886]

I was there on the Lancaster Pk embankment. It was a whole lot closer than this blog discloses. Jonah was a beastly colossus. My red and black machine came up short but only just at the ref's whim

[@merlin5420]

Cullen and Lomu playing on the same team was simply not fair!

[@kinghomeboy]

And we had Tana Umaga, Jerry Collins, Norm Hewitt and Alama Iremia too. It was such a great Lions team :)

[@mohdnasir-wr5lb]

Very true.... they just like bullies but in a good ways.

[@user-qt2we6mb6k]

Yeah mate this era of nz rugby was nuts. Canterbury and Wellington were pretty much the all blacks squad.

[@cameronharris8039]

Both teams totally stacked with legends, wow those were the days . How good was Jason ohalleran ,keeping alama ieremia on the bench

[@hansoloburger2322]

Actually brought a tear to my eye when Jonah scored his second goal

[@bobosmith8012]

I remember that Norm Hewitt played the last part of that game with a fractured arm, and that the ACC minster at the time, Ruth Dyson, publically scolded him for not going off when the fracture happened.
2 Weeks later she resigned as a minister after being caught Drunk Driving.

[@bertenz959]

so its pretty normal of labour mps to get caught drunk driving

[@eronicakacaka2289]

As Dave Rennie said in the interview...'Some of the household names of NZL domestic rugby'

[@greylynnjr]

Norm hewitt at the end was like you hold it up bro.

[@sophiegriffiths5886]

He played that final with what turned out to be a broken arm

[@greylynnjr]

@@sophiegriffiths5886 great recall. 👍

[@NaenaeBoy]

What a great competition we had. Super rugby has killed it.

[@Marekxk]

Lomu vs Vunibaka is the sight to see!👍👍👍

[@kiwidavid72]

Shoutout to Jason O'Halloran for all his terrific linkup play from midfield

[@nicholasimlach1787]

It's interesting you mentioned that cos I believe it was Paul Steinmetz who put the kick through for the first try ohalloran had nothing to do with it. Typical Keith Quinn tho. But on the subject.. ohalloran was a much under rated and under mentioned player. He never got a shot internationally simply because of how deep the talent was in the midfield, well all round the backline. Those were the days ay. Cullen umaga ieremia lomu for a bit, another greatly unmentioned 10 is David Howell. He held wellington and the canes together for years. Absolute legend. Ok I'll mention Jason spice too another warrior. The talent was amazing

[@kiwidavid72]

I think you'll find it is O.H. as we called him. He's wearing number 12. That's Grant Nisbett commentating too. But yeah so much talent in that lineup and Jason got buried for regular AB selection but at least he can say he was picked.
You can't beat Wellington on a good day. Cullen was a joy to watch and I don't think I've seen anyone else in rugby run like him.

[@greghughson7450]

What a night!

[@stelley08]

alot of great players in those 2 teams

[@t3chn1n35]

Oh the good old days of NPC

[@aaronbarlow4376]

2 GOATs

[@jldp24]

There are about 5 wingers today who are at Lomus size...but none at his speed. The youngsters today dont get it..speed is what makes you even bigger. Also there is lots of but up size today. LOMU was around 116kg at 17 playing for NZ Colts..and had that elite speed. I have not yet seen anything that resembles the animalistic muscle that Lomu possessed as a natural without built up size. Youngsters will never know. The dude took on Vunibaka...eho was the fastest Fijian up to this day and he wasalso a big dude at 189cm and over 100kg..Vunibaka was a speed demon.

[@danesmith8913]

Sorry but Rupeni gassed Vunibaka and would gas him in his prime as well.. Joeli according to Jonah was the fastest player he ever met, so means Joeli was faster as well

[@danesmith8913]

Honorable mentions would be Joe Rokococo who was faster than Howlett and prime Jonah, Waisake Naholo, William Ryder all likely faster

[@jldp24]

@@danesmith8913 I dont mean Jonah was faster than Vunibaka. Also. Yes..Jonah did mention that about Vidiri. Did Rupeni gas Vunibaka? In outright pace..doubt that.

[@danesmith8913]

@@jldp24 Yes Rupeni gassed Vunibaka for outright pace. And you do not even need to see him gas Vunibaka to know Rupeni was quicker, the man was insanely fast

[@hansoloburger2322]

@@danesmith8913I think it was northland vs Waikato rupeni scored a 90 meter try minutes into the game 5 minutes later got into a gap 80meters open run to the try line he gassed worse than I’ve ever seen another then an since would’ve been 20 yrs ago he got chased down by a lock didn’t even make it to the 22 and he was a non factor for the rest of the game

[@Stowerslemalu]

Pretty absurd to have the best attacking winger and fullback in the history of the game in the same provincial team.

[@Feanaro5503]

Dodgy Paul Honiss did his best to give the game to Canterbury at the end.

[@BenZed]

Holy mother of obstruction