The 5-Minute Interview: Jonah Lomu, Rugby player

'My shorts came off in a ruck in my trial for the All Blacks'

The New Zealand winger Jonah Lomu, 32, joined the International Rugby Hall of Fame last month as the World Cup's all-time top try-scorer, with 15. He came to prominence in the 1995 tournament, and was known for his ability to boost attendance at any match in which he played. Having recovered from a kidney disorder, Lomu is set to return to the game.

If I weren't talking to you right now I'd be...

Sleeping, or maybe racing around Silverstone in the Nissan Skyline GT-R "Godzilla" that I had custom-made.

A phrase I use too often...

"I'm not sure about this."

I wish people would take more notice of...

What happens on the rugby field. It annoys me when people who don't know what they're talking about boo the referee.

The most surprising thing to happen to me was...

Losing my shorts in my All Blacks trial. They came off in a ruck!

A common misperception of me is that...

I'm not approachable, purely because of my size. I always try to put people at ease.

I am not a politician but...

I can read your mind about what you think of them.

The ideal night out is...

A night in Paris, wining and dining, maybe some dancing afterwards.

In weak moments I...

Eat a lot of chocolate ice cream in front of the TV.

You know me as a rugby player but in another life I'd have been...

A banker. Until 1998 I worked in marketing at ASB bank. I loved it.

In a nutshell, my philosophy is this...

"Having the power within."