Lomu, Crowe honoured Black Clash
All Black legend Jonah Lomu and former Black Caps skipper Martin Crowe will be honoured when New Zealand’s two biggest national sides do battle later this month.
According to the Stuff website, the All Blacks and Black Caps will meet in a special T20 charity match on January 25 in Christchurch and they will be playing for the Lomu-Crowe trophy.
Lomu passed away at the age of 40 in 2015 while Crowe died in 2016 at the age of 53.
“It’s truly fitting that the names of these two national heroes have pride of place on what is a wonderful, iconic piece of Kiwi art,” said David Higgins, who is organising the fixture being called the ‘Black Clash’. “I’ve always believed that Martin and Jonah have not been fully recognised for the contribution they made to the country through their tremendous deeds on and off the sports field. Both Martin and Jonah were men whose achievements transcended the sports field. So to be able to honour them even in a small way by naming the T20 Black Clash trophy the Lomu-Crowe Trophy just feels right.
The rugby team will feature several All Blacks stars, including Israel Dagg. Australian batsman David Hussey will play for the All Blacks, too, as a so-called ‘international wildcard’.
“It’s huge. Look at the trophy, it’s amazing, it’s beautiful. It symbolises New Zealand and, obviously, you’ve got two great, worldrenowned athletes in Lomu and Crowe. Those names will live on forever,” added Dagg.
Team Rugby will play in the red and black colours of Canterbury, while their Team Teams: Team Rugby Kieran Read (captain), Richie McCaw, Israel Dagg, Beauden Barrett, Jordie Barrett, Aaron Smith, Jason Spice, Ali Williams, Kendra Cocksedge, Kaylum Boshier, Ofisa Tunu’u (wicketkeeper), David Hussey (international Coach: Sir Graham Henry Team Cricket Stephen Fleming (player-coach), Brendon McCullum (captain), Grant Elliott, Luke Ronchi (wicketkeeper), Kyle Mills, Chris Harris, Nathan Astle, James Franklin, Hamish Marshall, Liz Perry, wildcard (TBA) Manager/motivator: Scott Robertson. -Stuff