Natal find Lomu is back to his best

Auckland, with Jonah Lomu back to his awesome best, won the Super 12 championship with a 45-21 demolition of Natal in the final on Saturday.

It was a hugely impressive performance from Auckland, who never allowed the South African side to settle into the game.

Lomu, emerging from a slump in form, started the try-scoring early in the first half with a trademark tackle-breaking run, easily fending off Andre Joubert to score near the corner. Lomu later thrilled the 45,000 Auckland crowd with a devastating burst from his own 22. He was eventually halted just short of the line, but flicked on for the ever-present Adrian Cashmore to score beneath the posts.

Natal got over the initial shock of being down 20-3 after just 20 minutes, and struggled back into the game with a try from Joubert. Penalty goals from Henry Honiball helped peg the score back to a respectable 20-16 at half time.

Auckland broke away at the start of the second half, running in tries in quick succession. The Springbok winger James Small scored a consolation try from a tapped penalty, but it was largely one-way traffic after that.