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Jonah Lomu's shorts from the inaugural Super 12 final are up for sale

By Online Editors
(Photo by Kenny Rodger/Getty Images)

If this week’s Lotto winner is stuck on what to spend some of their winnings on, here’s an idea.

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The autographed pair of shorts which were worn and ripped off from legendary All Black Jonah Lomu in the inaugural Super 12 final, is being auctioned online for half-a-million dollars.

Lomu, who died aged 40 in 2015 from a heart attack associated with his kidney condition, scored one of six tries for the Blues in their 45-21 win over the Natal Sharks in the 1996 decider at Eden Park.

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It was during the second half of that game that Lomu had his shorts torn off by Henry Honiball.

The shorts were flung over the sideline and reportedly snagged by a ball boy and then a commentator, before Lomu demanded them back.

Lomu instead gifted them to Starship Children’s Health for the charity to auction.

A man, who was a student in Palmerston North at the time, snatched up the shorts for $4800, hoping they’d one day be worth much more.

The man is now set to list them on Trade Me for $500,000.

He said 50 per cent of proceeds would go to charity.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_HsEafgQf7/

Speaking anonymously to Stuff, the Brisbane-based Kiwi said the current COVID-19 situation inspired him to create a “good news story”.

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“We need a bit of a dog on a surfboard story to pump up the tyres because morale is low,” he told Stuff.

“I’m trying to separate the wheat from the chaff here … I’m going to ask for $500,000. That’s the start point, but I’m saying ‘open to offers’ and, look, whatever comes in will come in.”

He said his dream is that a New Zealand celebrity will place a bid on the shorts.

The shorts have never been stored in his house and remain in a safety deposit box in a bank.

The auction is set to go live at midday today.

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This article first appeared on nzherald.co.nz and is republished with permission.

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