I have known Jonah since I was about 14 years old… he would have been 15… he played a lot of rep rugby with my brother when they were teenagers and they played their first NZ team together along with David Howell…
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But I have hope.
McCaw played first-class rugby from 1999 for Canterbury province, Super Rugby from 2001 for the Canterbury Crusaders, and played for the All Blacks from 2001, attending four World Cups.
He led New Zealand to victory at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand, and again in Britain last month when the All Blacks became the first team to successfully defend the title. Throw in Brad Weber, Ardie Savea and James Lowe, and New Zealand’s depth hasn’t been this competitive in years.
“He went to bed Tuesday night and he was fine, unfortunately when they awoke mid-morning they found him dead”, Hart said.
Former New Zealand rugby coach, and a close friend of the legendary wing, John Hart was appointed the Lomu family’s spokesman, and revealed that local and national government were determined to honour one of the country’s greatest sporting heroes in a manner befitting his status.
Hart, who coached the All Blacks between 1996 and 1999, said: “Jonah and the family returned from [a family break on their way back from the World Cup in] Dubai on Tuesday night and Jonah was in great health”. “The last thing I wanted was to be disrespect[ful] or anything to do with that”.
McCaw played a world-record 148 Tests, 131 of them wins.
McCaw, who walks away as one of the game’s all-time greats, ended his 14-year Test career as the most capped player (148) and captain (110) in world rugby.
Former flanker McCaw has been an ambassador for New Zealand’s national carrier since 2010.
“I was thinking about my experiences with Jonah”.
“Richie’s been the most influential player of his generation, if not of all time”, Tew said.
“After the adversity of 2007 [When New Zealand lost in the World Cup quarter-finals] and the criticism that came with that, Richie’s mental toughness and desire to improve really shone through. To play alongside a guy you have watched as a young fella was pretty unbelievable”. Having been involved in the majority of those Test matches, I can’t recall him ever playing a bad game.
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McCaw was voted Newcomer of the Year by the worldwide Rugby Players’ Association in 2002 and was named All Blacks captain for the first time, against Wales in 2004, at the tender age of 23 when regular skipper Tana Umaga was rested.
