Rugby great Jonah Lomu, the game’s first global superstar whose speed and power terrorised opponents, died unexpectedly on Wednesday aged 40 with tributes pouring in for “a legend of the game”.
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Lomu had a kidney transplant in 2004 but has had health setbacks since then.
While New Zealand ultimately lost to hosts South Africa in the 1995 final, the tournament’s defining image was of Lomu trampling over a hapless Mike Catt on his way to four tries in the All Blacks’ semi-final win over England.
Lomu eventually scored 37 tries in 63 Tests between 1994 and 2002.
Lomu was diagnosed with a rare kidney infection which forced him to quit rugby in the early 2000s. Was with him and his wife and family for an evening last month.
Included in pre-World Cup training camps, the 1.96 metres tall and 120kgs winger was considered woefully unfit for the fast-paced game plan favoured by Mains and ordered to improve his fitness.
The record was only matched this year by South Africa’s Bryan Habana.
Failed to secure a Super Rugby contract and retired in 2007, though did make a number of appearances for clubs in Britain and France until 2009.
Jonny Wilkinson, who kicked England to victory in the 2003 World Cup, said: “I am so, so devastated to hear of the passing away of Jonah”.
“When you’ve got that in your arsenal as a team you could be having a bad day, but someone like him when he gets his hands on the ball could flip a bad day into being a winning day and there’s not many players in the world who can do that”.
He made 10 appearances for the capital city region, scoring one try, with his superstar status putting bums on seats as the people of Cardiff came in their thousands to witness Lomu in action. “But because of his magnificence and because of the time and the place, he drove rugby into a new era”, the newspaper said.
Lomu remained in All Black squads up until 2002, even though form fluctuations returned and there were many periods when other talented outside backs like Christian Cullen, Jeff Wilson, Tana Umaga and Doug Howlett looked more unsafe.
“The darkest moment was when I fell over for the first time”.
However, he continued to star for the All Blacks wherever the game took him, his raw power on the pitch in total contrast to his gentle, placid nature away from battle on the field. Lomu was of Tongan heritage. He was an awesome rugby player and it’s very hard not to think of him when you’re watching the All Blacks play.
He never looked back and was soon playing on representative teams.
Jonah spoke so warmly about his wife and his two boys in recent years.
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Lomu finally did return to the playing field in New Zealand in 2006 when he played for Harbour in the NPC against Wellington and he said at the time it was “a dream come true”.
