Lomu was happy to recommend Welsh life to Marshall

Lomu is about to finish his stay in Wales with the Cardiff Blues, while Marshall signed a two-year deal to join their rival Welsh region on Tuesday.

"We played the Blues in the Heineken Cup and I had a chat to Jonah after about his experiences," Marshall said.

"He spoke very highly of his time in Cardiff and in Wales in general."

Despite Leeds being relegated from the Guinness Premiership in England, Marshall emerged with credit from the season.

He is one of the leading nominations for the Professional Rugby Players' Association player of the year award.

The Welsh are as passionate as New Zealanders about the game Justin Marshall

That saw plenty of offers for the 32-year-old, who won 81 New Zealand caps, but Marshall turned down the likes of Wasps to head to the Liberty Stadium in Swansea.

As Marshall had a year on his Headingley contract remaining, it is believed the Ospreys have paid Leeds a transfer fee close to �75,000 with wages around the �150,000 a season mark.

"The Welsh are as passionate, I suppose, as New Zealanders about the game," Marshall, speaking on BBC Radio Wales' Midweek Sport programme, added.

"Jonah said he still found he was able to have a good lifestyle down there - he had plenty of positives about living and playing in Wales."

But Marshall is sure that his decision to opt for life 40 miles further west along the M4 is the right one.

"Really the sky's the limit and the Ospreys are looking to go as far as they possibly can," Marshall said.

"I'm thrilled to be a part of that and hopefully we can turn in some good results next year.

"Getting a Welsh club into the final of the Heineken Cup would be nice, wouldn't it?"