Wellington-born Vunipola grew up idolising All Blacks winger Jonah Lomu, while his father Fe'ao, a former Tonga captain, once described his son as the 'next Olo Brown', a nod to the 56-test All Blacks prop.
"When I was growing up I watched the All Blacks and I loved them, mostly because of Jonah Lomu," Vunipola told reporters on Friday ahead of the second test at Wellington Regional Stadium.
"I always wanted to be like him."
