LONDON (AFP) - British Olympic sprint champion Darren Campbell insisted he could help Jonah Lomu rediscover the form that made him the world’s outstanding rugby union wing a decade ago.
Lomu is training with Campbell and his coach Linford Christie, the 1992 Olympic 100m champion, in Cardiff in the hope of return to full-fitness after nearly three years out.
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“If he wants to be quicker, I’ll get him quicker. He’ll feel the difference in two weeks,” Campbell, who won Olympic gold in the 4x100m relay in Athens last year, told BBC Sport.
“It’s great to work with one of the world’s greatest sporting icons.”
Lomu, 30, is two games into his comeback with Cardiff after having a kidney transplant in July 2004.
His ultimate aim is to return to the New Zealand squad in time for the 2007 World Cup in France.
Lomu made his name at the 1995 World Cup where his strength and speed helped him become the most iconic rugby union player of his era.
“He’s still got that aura, he’s still got that fear about him,” said Campbell, silver medallist ithe 200m at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
"He’s not the type of person to beat himself up because he’s not 100 percent fit yet. He’s extremely realistic.
“Now that he’s here, if we’re all patient, we will see the best of him. I hope he realises his dream and gets to play in the World Cup.”
At his peak, 6ft 5in wing Lomu could run 100m in 11 seconds - just a second or so slower than the world’s top sprinters.
Now rugby fans are wondering whether he can recapture the form of a decade ago but Campbell was in no doubt.
“He won’t beat me over 100m,” Campbell joked. “But then saying that, I couldn’t run past him with a rugby ball.”