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RIP Jonah Lomu

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  • 18-11-2015 1:09am
    #1
    Teferi
    Registered Users Posts: 6,320 ✭✭✭


    News is just breaking that Jonah Lomu has died. What an absolute legend of the game, deeply saddening.

    Here
    All Blacks legend Jonah Lomu has passed away in Auckland today at the age of 40.
    Former All Blacks doctor John Mayhew confirmed Lomu had died unexpectedly this morning.
    Lomu had recently been in the United Kingdom with his family as a spokesman for Heineken during the Rugby World Cup.
    The bruising winger made 73 appearances for the All Blacks, making his Test debut in 1994 against France in Christchurch.
    Lomu scored 43 tries in the black jersey, before having to quit the sport in 2002 because of Nephrotic syndrome, a rare kidney disease.
    He suffered a health scare in 2011, pulling out of the Fight for Life charity boxing event with kidney troubles, just seven years after his life-saving kidney transplant.

    What a champion of a man. The worlds first professional rugby superstar, he influenced a generation of rugby players. I remember just after starting playing rugby in 1995 that we all wanted to play as Lomu.

    Edit: Confirmed on the All Black Twitter Account.


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    #2
    ThisRegard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,834 ✭✭✭✭ThisRegard


    That was certainly unexpected, even if he was seriously ill at one stage a few years ago.


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    #3
    Bridge93
    Registered Users Posts: 7,018 ✭✭✭Bridge93


    Very sad news. Surprised he won 73 caps, although too young to see most of his career I always thought his strike rate was much higher than that.


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    #4
    corsav6
    Registered Users Posts: 1,597 ✭✭✭corsav6


    Completely unexpected, had to check was it a different Jonah Lomu. RIP


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    #5
    PTH2009
    Registered Users Posts: 37,888 ✭✭✭✭PTH2009


    what a shocker RIP. sky sports news dont have it yet


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    #6
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,926 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    I can't believe this is true. Hoping it's one of those twitter rumours....


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    #7
    Beefy78
    Registered Users Posts: 8,163 ✭✭✭Beefy78


    Unbelievable. One of the great sporting memories of my childhood was watching him bursting into the scene. An absolute monster of a man taken way too soon. RIP


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    #8
    sweetthing
    Registered Users Posts: 185 ✭✭sweetthing


    If this is true then it is terribly sad news. Absolute legend


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    #9
    Dozen Wicked Words
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,325 ✭✭✭✭Dozen Wicked Words


    TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »
    I can't believe this is true. Hoping it's one of those twitter rumours....

    http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/nov/18/jonah-lomu-dies-aged-40-according-to-reports?CMP=twt_gu

    True sadly


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    #10
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,926 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    Official NZ twitter confirming it now. Such a shock, I can't believe it.


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    #11
    Teferi
    Registered Users Posts: 6,320 ✭✭✭Teferi


    TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »
    I can't believe this is true. Hoping it's one of those twitter rumours....

    Me too buddy, unfortunately it looks like other papers have picked it up now - the Guardian, NZHerald etc.


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    #12
    JP Liz V1
    Registered Users Posts: 85,295 ✭✭✭✭JP Liz V1


    RIP
    https://forumofgames.com/




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    #13
    Dozen Wicked Words
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,325 ✭✭✭✭Dozen Wicked Words


    TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »
    I can't believe this is true. Hoping it's one of those twitter rumours....

    http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/nov/18/jonah-lomu-dies-aged-40-according-to-reports?CMP=twt_gu
    http://www.news.com.au/sport/all-blacks-legend-jonah-lomu-has-died-reports/news-story/003e7029602a760ffb4df5871a6e2257?utm_content=SocialFlow&utm_campaign=EditorialSF&utm_source=News.com.au&utm_medium=Twitter

    True sadly


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    #14
    randy hickey
    Registered Users Posts: 1,935 ✭✭✭randy hickey


    Sky News now reporting this sad news.


    RIP.


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    #15
    Zzippy
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,166 Mod ✭✭✭✭Zzippy


    Wow. Tragically young age to go.
    Had such a huge impact on the world scene in '95. The first of the modern backs - huge, fast and extremely powerful. Probably changed the game single-handedly. RIP Jonah



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    #16
    Gaygooner
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,601 ✭✭✭Gaygooner


    @BBCBreaking: New Zealand rugby union legend Jonah Lomu dies aged 40

    RIP


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    #17
    gsmhsd10
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4 ✭gsmhsd10


    Shocker. Only 40. R.I.P Jonah


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    #18
    phog
    Registered Users Posts: 23,772 ✭✭✭✭phog


    Hero to many.

    Sadly, he never got to have a long playing career. He was the best of the best.

    RIP


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    #19
    Kristopherus
    Registered Users Posts: 11,907 ✭✭✭✭Kristopherus


    Sad news. Only 40. A true legend. RIP.


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    #20
    martyos121
    Registered Users Posts: 21,352 ✭✭✭✭martyos121


    RIP Jonah Lomu. Even as just a casual rugby fan, I truly understand the game wouldn't be as big as it is today without him. An absolute legend.


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    #21
    Lucy8080
    Registered Users Posts: 1,971 ✭✭✭Lucy8080


    Heard this about ten mins ago ,thought it must be internet rumour nonsense, so decided to check this forum.

    He was on "rugby tonight" a few weeks back , and in great form and talking about how his kids so loved their time in England during the world cup that he was buying a house with a view to staying.

    Sad news.

    R.I.P. legend of the game.


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    #22
    athtrasna
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,420 ✭✭✭✭athtrasna


    Sleep well oh gentle giant off the field and legend on the field x


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    #23
    ronanc1000
    Registered Users Posts: 817 ✭✭✭ronanc1000


    I can't believe this.

    As a youngster, like many kids playing rugby I looked up Lomu. The best winger in world rugby. He brought pace, strength, power he had it all. But for me it was more than that. Our life stories had very similar paths, Rugby was cut early for me and I myself spent many years 9 in fact on dialysis waiting for a kidney transplant as did Jonah. A few years back when Munster played the AB at thomond park I was very lucky to sit down with Jonah and chat. At this point he had his Kidney Transplant and was making his comeback into the game, I, a 14 year old had just suffered a failed transplant and was recently back on Dialysis again. That 30 minutes I spent with the man was amazing, he spoke with great positivity to me, to never give up and never give in you'll get your day, that kept the fire in me to keep healthy until that kidney transplant came for me. Yes, that day came, I was transplanted successfully in 2014 and continue to do well. I always kept an eye out for how Jonah was doing in recent years, tweets back and fourth etc. Unfortunately dialysis commenced again for him a while back but that did not stop him. Rugby roles and World Cup ambassador roles kept him up there being part of this great game.

    Thank you Jonah, sleep well up there among the elite buddy. Thanks for those words that day that keep me in check going forward I will always remember that day. I and many others will will cherish those great memories you gave us. Impossible is nothing.

    https://youtu.be/9rTttFOWJV4


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    #24
    Andre 3000
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,488 ✭✭✭Andre 3000


    Jerry Collins and Jonah Lomu gone from us in the space of six months. Gutting to say the very least. I'm lost for words.


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    #25
    Snickers Man
    Registered Users Posts: 5,301 ✭✭✭Snickers Man


    Very sad news.

    A great player and a gentleman.


    RIP


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    #26
    Subcomandante Marcos
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,683 ✭✭✭Subcomandante Marcos


    I remember when he burst onto the scene watching in utter disbelief that someone that size could be that fast and be so good ball in hand. Such an exciting player to watch and every time he got the ball in the 95 world cup everyone took a breath and waited for something special to happen. Whether he was using sheer strength and speed to walk over people or showing incredible agility and quick feet to sidestep people leaving him on their ass he was a joy to watch.

    RIP Jonah.


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    #27
    sligeach
    Registered Users Posts: 16,265 ✭✭✭✭sligeach


    Just heard the very sad news. Great player who unfortunately never had the career he deserved and now his life has been cut short. RIP.


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    #28
    thebaz
    Registered Users Posts: 13,585 ✭✭✭✭thebaz


    so so sad - best player I ever saw , he paved the way for professional rugby , literally transformed WC '95 and the professional game that followed , not least the success of this current great All Blacks game - massive massive loss to the game of rugby today -
    R.I.P.


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    #29
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    martyos121 wrote: »
    RIP Jonah Lomu. Even as just a casual rugby fan, I truly understand the game wouldn't be as big as it is today without him. An absolute legend.

    As a casual rugby fan I agree 100%.

    He was one of those very rare and special sports people who transcended the sport they played. As soon as you heard the name Jonah Lomu, you instantly had a picture in your mind's eye of this astonishing sporting phenomenon.

    Desperately sad news. :(


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    #30
    Faith+1
    Registered Users Posts: 3,674 ✭✭✭Faith+1


    Complete legend. RIP big man!


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    #31
    Al_Coholic
    Registered Users Posts: 1,319 ✭✭✭Al_Coholic


    My favourite rugby player of all time

    R.I.P


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