Cardiff Blues to honour former player Jonah Lomu against Harlequins on Thursday

File photo dated 25/08/15 of Jonah Lomu with the Webb Ellis Cup, as stars from the world of sport and beyond have paid tribute to legendary the New Zealand rugby player, who has died at 40. He was ahead of his time.

“All of a sudden wingers were coming inside to run crash balls because he had shown how it could be done. He was incredible”, said Woodward.

At his peak, Lomu could run 100 metres in 10.8 seconds. His power terrorised opposing defenders.

“If you saw him running at you in the line it was like, ‘oh my god, here we go, this is going to be heavy”. “OK if we can nullify him we can nullify the All Blacks”, said Woodward.

The retired New Zealand wing’s passing at the age of just 40 was announced in the early hours of Wednesday morning, leaving fans across the globe shocked.

“Unfortunately we did not have a Plan B and Jonah Lomu just stole the show, scoring four tries out of six”.

HE made such an impact that he even had his own EA Sports video game created for him following the World Cup.

And former England skipper Will Carling posted a selfie of him and Lomu at Twickenham. “I’m totally shocked by this news”, he said.

Lomu went on to play in a final against South Africa that the home side won 15-12. It was the first World Cup to involve the Springboks and the fact that South Africa hosted it, with Nelson Mandela’s full and public support, ensured that the eyes of the world were on the tournament.

He began receiving treatment and missed a handful of matches over the next few years but remained a formidable presence on the pitch when he was fit and returned to his best for the 1999 World Cup in Britain, Ireland and France. He burst onto the scene with an energy, passion and intensity, the likes of which had never before been witnessed.

Lomu’s death was confirmed by New Zealand Rugby, whose chief Steve Tew said: “Jonah was a legend of our game and loved by his many fans both here and around the world”.

Although he did return in 2005 for several clubs including Cardiff Blues and North Harbour.

“Thanks to all of you for giving me the opportunity for playing for Wrescam and as its my last game for a while I am so glad it is for Phil (Kingsley-Jones) and Wrexham rugby club”.

Lomu spoke before an worldwide Olympic Committee meeting in Copenhagen in 2009.

It was dubbed by many as the “greatest ever Test match” and was witnessed by more than 100,000 people at Sydney’s Olympic Stadium. Its hard. Every dialysis patient is different but we have one commonality: we have no other choice. He changed rugby union during the 1995 World Cup.

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Lomu died nine months before the Olympic rugby tournament in Rio de Janeiro.