Despite
his sheer size and power a humble and respectful man.
A
video dedicated to his memory,
The sudden and unexpected
death of Jonah Lomu I am sure saddened everyone who loves sport and indeed
beyond across the globe. The loss to his wife, two sons and family will be way beyond
anything we will feel. Recently he had
said that his wish was to live long enough to see his two children grow up to
the age of 21. Well, sadly it wasn’t to be and as with so much in life the
unexpected happened - as it does far too often and always when we least expect
it.
The youngest ever All Black
and the highest try scorer in World Cup history.
Jonah emerged as a 20 year
old at the World Cup of 1995 with only having won two caps. Listening to Shaun Fitzpatrick the New
Zealand captain at the time if it hadn’t been for an injury to some other
winger Lomu would not have been in the squad!
He had been capped twice for
his country and had played sevens as well for New Zealand and had been recognised
as a talent and a phenomenon from the age of 16 or so.
He left the ’95 World Cup a world-wide superstar. A youngster with searing pace able to run the 100
metres in just over 10 seconds, but at 6’ 5’ and almost 19st’ he had raw
strength and power. Sevens had also developed his ball handling skills and it
was a joy to see him run with the ball – which he made to look the size of a
coconut!
Of all his performances it
was one of the tries against England in the semi-final of that World Cup that
has been played and replayed endlessly on social media and the like. A bit like
the famous Gareth Edwards, Barbarians try against the All Blacks of 1973 I
think it was. It wasn’t his most exciting or long distance try ever of which
there were many but for sheer power it was certainly the most devastating. His
tries in that game amounted to the most destructive performance by a rugby
individual ever seen.
He sailed passed Andrews and
Carling, brushed little Underwood aside and just trampled and walked over Mike
Catt. After the game Wil Carling described Lomu as a ‘freak of nature‘, I’m
sure he meant it as a compliment.
By the end of that year
Jonah was diagnosed with a serious kidney disorder and he kept it a secret for
as long as he could, indeed to the point, when he often found it a struggle to
train, he was considered lazy by the coaches. A remarkable feat of endurance,
strength of character and sheer will power enabled him to carry on.
In the 1999 World Cup he
scored 8 tries and continued to remain a devastating weapon as his tries
against England again and also France testified. In the game against France he
scored a try with seven or eight players trying to stop him crossing the line.
Towards the end of his
playing days when his power had visibly waned he played 15 times for Cardiff
Blues in 2005 and just as we mourn his passing we also reflect on the loss of
Jerry Collins another giant of All Blacks rugby who spent some years with the
Ospreys. The manner of Collins’s passing was extraordinarily brave – in a car
crash he could see what was happening so he placed his big frame over his
daughter and she survived. What is the verse from the Good Book now – ‘greater
love hath no man that he should lay down his life for another’.
So Lomu is a member of a club
of rare sporting superstars – Pele, Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, Tiger Woods
and Usain Bolt.
Thirty seven tries in 63
appearances for the All Blacks what would he have achieved had it not been for
ill health?
One final point, it is said that in the changing room before going on to the field of play Jonah Lomu would pray to God not to let him hurt any player during the game. Not sure God listened every time!
One final point, it is said that in the changing room before going on to the field of play Jonah Lomu would pray to God not to let him hurt any player during the game. Not sure God listened every time!