After New Zealand’s loss to France at the semi-final stage of the 1999 Rugby World Cup, there was widespread speculation Lomu would defect to play in American football’s NFL competition, or England’s rugby premiership. “It is with great sadness that I must announce my dear husband Jonah Lomu died [overnight]”, she said. “His rugby career finished far too early because of his illness and now he has passed away well before his time”.
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England’s World Cup-winning coach Sir Clive Woodward pays tribute to the “unstoppable” Jonah Lomu following the All Black legend’s unexpected death. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Wednesday November 18, 2015.
Lomu, who won 63 caps for the All Blacks, had suffered from health problems since his retirement from the game in 2002 due to a rare kidney disease. Kightley said although other sports had been professional for decades, the exposure and media obligations other pro sportspeople knew well were a novelty for Lomu.
“It was an unbelievable experience for me”.
Regarded as a gentle giant and role model for New Zealanders of Tongan ancestry, he returned to Tonga in 2011 to promote a rugby event.
The greatest superstar and just a fabulous human being. Lomu was that star for rugby union, his heroics in 1995 spawning a video game bearing his name two years later. In recent times he had become a highly sought-after ambassador for the game.
Former all blacks team mate Mark “Sharky” Robinson says, “The image that I have is how he could turn a game [around], he certainly wasn’t the best man to have against you and I had the pleasure of playing with him. He’s such a warm person, he was so good to so many people, he has no ego”.
With reports – strongly denied at the time – of tensions within the Irish management, the last thing Ireland needed was a tough opener, but that was precisely what they got – an introduction to Lomu, who scored a try with his first touch.
In an interview with The Guardian in August, the winger said: “What it meant for rugby, that World Cup changed everything”.
“There wasn’t anyone as big as Jonah”. When I look at it now I understand my impact more.
A tweet from New Zealand Rugby chief Steve Tew read: “We’re all shocked and deeply saddened at the sudden death of Jonah Lomu”.
“It’s such tragic news and has come as a huge shock to everyone”.
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All Blacks legend Jonah Lomu has died aged 40. A sport that had yet to make the leap into being fully professional finally had the global star that it so craved.
