RIP Jonah Lomu

sydthebeat · 18-11-2015 9:04am

The word legend is used often, in this case it hardly seems enough

Jawgap · 18-11-2015 9:14am

Great guy, great player and a terrible loss.

Was lucky enough to meet him a few years ago in London with my kids and he was brilliant. The kids hadn't a clue just exactly who he was, but they knew he was an All Black of some description, and the youngest when he met immediately started asking if he knew Joe Rokocoko! Anyway, while Dad (me) was trying to maneuver to get myself a photo with the big man, he hunkered down and continued the Rokocoko conversation with my 6 year old!

A couple of weeks later, a package arrived with a mini-rugby ball signed by Rokocoko - he'd sent it to the organisers and asked them to forward it on to the "red-headed Rokocoko fan."

Lovely man.

iggy · 18-11-2015 9:15am

Great player.. RIP

Larbre34 · 18-11-2015 9:20am

Some man. RIP

Wanderer78 · 18-11-2015 9:22am

Rip

Jawgap · 18-11-2015 9:28am

postitnote wrote: »

RIP Jonah.

He completely changed the face of rugby and changed the laws of physics when it came to having a big man on the wing.

I loved that Heineken video of him recently and that video of him trampling over Underwood(?) in RWC 95 is just fantastic.

Craig Chalmers visited our school not long after that World cup, i'll always remember someone asking him how you stop Jonah Lomu, his reply, "With an elephant gun!"

Time to dust off the old Playstation for some nostalgia.

I was working in the UK at the time and I remember watching that with a bunch of English friends / clubmates and just laughing when it happened......they didn't see the funny side!

Jonah Lomu bulldozes through Tony Underwood video

Nerdlingr · 18-11-2015 9:30am

Like Maradonna in 86, Ali in the jungle etc etc THAT try against England in 95 is just one of those sporting moments that will stand the test of time. You see it once and you'll never forget it. He just seemed to transcend the sport he loved, and when you do that you reach iconic status. Such a softly spoken man and a true legend.

RIP bru.

molloyjh · 18-11-2015 9:31am

In 95 I knew nothing about or had any interest in rugby. But I knew all about Jonah Lomu. He really was the first superstar of the game and as a result opened the game up to people who previously didn't watch it. It obviously takes someone special to do that.

As I got more and more into the game I saw less and less of him on the field. But what I saw of him off it he seemed the perfect ambassador for the game. A genuinely good bloke who, despite everything, made time for people and always had a smile on his face.

It's easy to remember those things, but he also had a wife and 2 young kids. And more than anything my heart goes out to them now. RIP Jonah.

vienne86 · 18-11-2015 9:54am

What a player and what a lovely guy. RTE had in interview with him not that long ago and have just played some of it on Morning Ireland. Very inspirational man, and huge loss for NZ.

moycullen14 · 18-11-2015 10:09am

Jawgap wrote: »

I was working in the UK at the time and I remember watching that with a bunch of English friends / clubmates and just laughing when it happened......they didn't see the funny side!

Jonah Lomu bulldozes through Tony Underwood video

Snap. Exactly the same for me. IIRC, the crowd I was with thought they were going to win that game. As you say, all you could do was laugh. The English? Not so much.

We have never seen - and I don't think we will ever again see - one individual have such an effect on a sport in such a short space of time.

He was like Pele, Tiger Woods and Mohammed Ali all rolled in to one.

The recent program with him visiting Joost Van Der Westheisen (sp) is even more poignant now.

RIP

laraghrider · 18-11-2015 10:14am

Jonah Lomu what a legend. The perfect player at the perfect time. Rugby going professional needed a mega star to reach new levels and provided just that. I don't always contribute to the rugby forum but how can you stay away when something as sad as this happens.

His comments after the '95 WC about being involved in something so special were a mark of the man.

RIP

Shermanator · 18-11-2015 10:17am

Gutted this morning when I read the news. What a Man. A great ambassador for the sport

Clearlier · 18-11-2015 10:34am

So sad. It's amazing to think of what he achieved considering the health problems that he had. I know that most people remember him stumbling over Mike Catt but one abiding memory for me is of Maurice Field (definitely picked for his defensive abilities) holding on to one of Lomu's legs for dear life as he thundered on down the field.

I don't think that we'll ever see someone transcend the sport in the same way that he did.

deadybai · 18-11-2015 10:35am

I was born in 93 but if it wasn't for Lomu I wouldn't have been such a big rugby fan as I am today. In fact I probably wouldnt have watched it at all in my younger days if it wasnt for him. I grew up in a very rural small village in Ireland which lives and breaths GAA. To have an impact on me just shows how special he was.

I always have an image of him with that yellow ball and his (Ronaldo haircut) but more importantly what made him stand out was that he was such a nice person.

I still watch his highlight videos on youtube every now an again. Brilliant player who sadly I didnt get to see too much of given his kidney troubles during the early 2000's.

He was a complete athlete too. 120kg and could run the 100m sprint in 10.8 seconds :O .

Great player but more importantly a brilliant person. RIP Jonah Lomu. Gone but will always be remembered

evil_seed · 18-11-2015 11:09am

RIP Jonah. What a hero of a man.
A person of that stature and impact never leaves the earth as he will forever live on in our memories.

mfceiling · 18-11-2015 11:14am

RIP Jonah

A beast of a man on the field. Had the pleasure of seeing him play years ago in Sydney against the NSW Warraths. He got sent off!!

Funny one on twitter this morning with a picture of Joanna Lumley with the caption....RIP, can't believe she was only 40!!

Jawgap · 18-11-2015 11:17am

deadybai wrote: »

I was born in 93 but if it wasn't for Lomu I wouldn't have been such a big rugby fan as I am today. In fact I probably wouldnt have watched it at all in my younger days if it wasnt for him. I grew up in a very rural small village in Ireland which lives and breaths GAA. To have an impact on me just shows how special he was.

I always have an image of him with that yellow ball and his (Ronaldo haircut) but more importantly what made him stand out was that he was such a nice person.

I still watch his highlight videos on youtube every now an again. Brilliant player who sadly I didnt get to see too much of given his kidney troubles during the early 2000's.

He was a complete athlete too. 120kg and could run the 100m sprint in 10.8 seconds :O .

Great player but more importantly a brilliant person. RIP Jonah Lomu. Gone but will always be remembered

......as evidenced by his school sports results!

swiwi_ · 18-11-2015 11:19am

mfceiling wrote: »

RIP Jonah

A beast of a man on the field. Had the pleasure of seeing him play years ago in Sydney against the NSW Warraths. He got sent off!

Not for foul play though. From memory was for 2 YCs, the second was for a deliberate knockdown IIRC. He was always a clean player even though a physical monster.

kevohmsford · 18-11-2015 11:20am

Sad news. Legend of the game and great ambassador. RIP.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO · 18-11-2015 11:21am

Surely everyone's standout memory of Lomu is the mighty Peter Stringer taking him down that one time.

mfceiling · 18-11-2015 11:38am

swiwi_ wrote: »

Not for foul play though. From memory was for 2 YCs, the second was for a deliberate knockdown IIRC. He was always a clean player even though a physical monster.

Yeah...I think the first was for a dangerous tackle...more the fact that he was so massive that any contact from him was going to be dangerous!!

penybont exile · 18-11-2015 11:47am

First saw Jonah Lomu play at the HK Sevens in 1995. I was there with a few mates and we all were saying .... What's this guy gonna be like in the 15 a side game?

Well we didn't have long to find out ..... Cue the WC in SA.

It was almost as if the top level of the sport had suddenly become like a school match with one physically superior boy essentially being the difference.

If I remember rightly in the first couple of minutes of the final NZ split the SA defence .... Jonah on the crash but JVdW floored him with a great low tackle which kinda set the tone for the game. Two great players who both suffered ill health.

Never met him but he seemed like a personable guy. RIP.

bilston · 18-11-2015 11:58am

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Surely everyone's standout memory of Lomu is the mighty Peter Stringer taking him down that one time.

I was thinking about that this morning. I also remember him tearing through Ireland at the '95 WC as well.

Another memory would be him scoring the winning try in the Bledisloe Cup match against Australia back in 2000. It was one the greatest test matches you will ever see and Lomu won it in the last minute.

NUTLEY BOY · 18-11-2015 12:59pm

Sad news. A marvellous athlete. RIP.

inforfun · 18-11-2015 1:40pm

Very sad news.

I never really was into rugby* but this guy was the first rugby player that seriously impressed me.

I think he is one of those players you can truly say he is an icon of his sport and will make people aware of that sport in countries where it isnt popular.

*(Rugby is not a big sport in my country)

abff · 18-11-2015 2:41pm

Very sad news. An absolute legend gone far too soon.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO · 18-11-2015 2:45pm

They're saying it was a heart attack.

He only arrived back in New Zealand on Tuesday from his time in the UK for the World Cup. Small mercy that his family didn't have to deal with that in Dubai or in London.

Quint2010 · 18-11-2015 2:52pm

I remember seeing Mike Catt in Burger King a few weeks after the World Cup in '95 and he still had Lomu's stud marks on his face. He was lucky to get that close to him. RIP.

titan18 · 18-11-2015 6:51pm

RIP. First superstar in the game, and one of the main reasons a lot of casual people would have got interested. His name is on the only good rugby game ever released too.

play it again · 18-11-2015 6:54pm

My first nick name was lomu :-( very sad today to hear about the gentle giant , rest in peace big fella , have a good journey

ted1 · 19-11-2015 1:28am

He truly was a legend, an inspiration to us all. I was playing on the JCT for Terenure in 95 and the whole time used to get so much from watching him play.
He set the style and standard for professional rugby today.

I'll always remember himself and Simon Geoghans tackle,

swiwi_ · 19-11-2015 6:35am

Class!

Snickers Man · 19-11-2015 3:01pm

It's no detriment to his rugby prowess but I have a special memory of him appearing on the spoof sports quiz They Think It's All Over. Before watching the clip below it should be pointed out that earlier in the show the presenter Nick Hancock had managed to inveigle boxer Chris Eubank, one of the participants, into saying that Lomu was "A big poof"

That explains Hancock clapping his hands in glee before introducing the mystery guest and the subsequent references to "Chris's mate"

Enjoy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd1hfFCYAzg

awec · 19-11-2015 10:43pm

http://allsports.com.gh/other_sports/legendary-jonah-lomu-a-true-sporting-great-id4371851.html

Former England coach Clive Woodward provided an amusing anecdote on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, as he reflected on Lomu's fearsome reputation.

"The night before a game I used to list the two teams and I said in a team meeting 'there's absolutely nobody I'd swap man for man'. I was doing my motivational talk," explained Woodward.

"I got to the end and Will Greenwood put his hand up and said: 'Clive, we're all with you, but on behalf of all the team I think we'd swap Austin Healey for Jonah Lomu'."

Yeah_Right · 20-11-2015 3:32am

awec wrote: »

http://allsports.com.gh/other_sports/legendary-jonah-lomu-a-true-sporting-great-id4371851.html

Former England coach Clive Woodward provided an amusing anecdote on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, as he reflected on Lomu's fearsome reputation.

"The night before a game I used to list the two teams and I said in a team meeting 'there's absolutely nobody I'd swap man for man'. I was doing my motivational talk," explained Woodward.

"I got to the end and Will Greenwood put his hand up and said: 'Clive, we're all with you, but on behalf of all the team I think we'd swap Austin Healey for Jonah Lomu'."

Lets be honest though, they probably would have been happy to swap anyone for Austin Healy.

The Rape of Lucretia · 22-11-2015 9:36pm

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

They're saying it was a heart attack.

Franno reiterating a theory he has put out there before a few times. And its a question worth asking:
http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/neil-francis-on-jonah-lomu-a-life-lost-needlessly-34222682.html
Its a possibility.

Great player in all respects whatever. The Mike Catt moment is one of rugby's greatest.

CatFromHue · 22-11-2015 9:43pm

I remember looking up papers on the dangers of Creatine before and it seemed that for most people it was grand but if you had a kidney problem it made it worse.

22-11-2015 9:45pm

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

Franno reiterating a theory he has put out there before a few times. And its a question worth asking:
http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/neil-francis-on-jonah-lomu-a-life-lost-needlessly-34222682.html
Its a possibility.

Great player in all respects whatever. The Mike Catt moment is one of rugby's greatest.

The attitude towards creatine over here blows my mind.

Trust me, there are loads of guys who have taken loads more creatine than any of these guys would have. They didn't go into renal failure or require transplants.

It's like anything, you take a stupid amount and you can do damage. It's a shame there isn't the same attitude towards alcohol in this country as there is to the likes of creatine, protein powder, gripe water and St John's Wort.

irishbucsfan · 22-11-2015 9:50pm

Some of the media pointed to the fact that Polynesians are predisposed to the disease, but that is not necessarily true. There is just as high an incidence per capita in Australian Aboriginals, Africans and African Americans. You can't just assume racial predisposition. Neither do you just wake up in the morning and suddenly discover that you just have it. It is a disease of gradual onset. So what caused it?

So... what you're saying is there's a high incidence in Polynesians?

Is it a coincidence that two players from the same team, Jonah Lomu and Joely Vidiri, both should acquire Nephrotic Syndrome and even if they had or had not taken Creatine can we link Creatine and Nephrotic Syndrome?

Is it a coincidence that two Polynesians both contracted a disease they are genetically predisposed towards contracting? I wouldn't say so, no.

Francis loses the run of himself so easilly. Creatine has been in heavy use by rugby players for 20 years now, and yet Francis' examples are Fijian and Tongan.

hogandrew · 22-11-2015 9:59pm

irishbucsfan wrote: »

So... what you're saying is there's a high incidence in Polynesians?

Is it a coincidence that two Polynesians both contracted a disease they are genetically predisposed towards contracting? I wouldn't say so, no.

Francis loses the run of himself so easilly. Creatine has been in heavy use by rugby players for 20 years now, and yet Francis' examples are Fijian and Tongan.

But in fairness he does quote a 25 year old paper saying they are not sure of the effects!

Yeah_Right · 23-11-2015 2:49am

I have a couple of issues with Franno's article. Jonah was diagnosed before he joined the Blues. Don't know if Jonah ever took as he didn't bulk up noticeably during his career. Also he said Vidiri was bigger than Jonah. No he wasn't.

GavMan · 23-11-2015 11:27am

This is coming from a guy who was wondering why Cian Healy was lifting weights at the RWC.

Total clown pontificating about something he knows bog all about. Stick the anecdotes Franno (They are, to be fair, great)

former total · 23-11-2015 12:37pm

Francis' theories are based on facts that are wrong, therefore his entire theory is nonsense.

Here's just one:

all you have to do is go on the internet, input Creatine and Nephrotic Syndrome and lo and behold 93,300 hits, many of them medical papers and studies linking the two

Except when you do that, the hits you get back are all about nephrotic syndrome and creatinine. Is there a difference? Yes. This "fact" is completely wrong.

The smoking gun report that Francis cites? Well, let's look at that too.

Authors report a case of diffuse membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis Type I in a 22-year-old who had been taking continuously methandion in a large quantity and 200 grams of Creatine daily

What's the key word there? Methandion, or more correctly, methandienone, better known as Danabol, one of the most widely abused anabolic steroids that is out there and viciously toxic to the kidneys. Franno seems to have missed that bit.

Creatine is banned in France, he got that right. If he'd bothered his ample arse to do a bit of digging, he'd have found that the reasons for that ban have nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with kidney failure or nephrotic syndrome.

Throwing out wild accusations on the basis of a half-assed Google search is not on, using a guy's death to generate interest in your newspaper column is even worse.

mfceiling · 23-11-2015 2:38pm

And according to the guardian, lomu died from a blood clot after the long flights he took during the WC.

Stick to whatever it is that you do franno.

ronanc1000 · 23-11-2015 5:05pm

I am surprised a Neil. Very annoyed at this write up too. I have said my tribute to the man but I will comment below,

What the doctor said on Lomu's death is the sad reality and is true as someone who was also on dialysis and had two blood clots. Patients who are on dialysis for a long time are susceptible to blood clots and as much as it pains me to say it, Lomu developed one and it got him sadly. He would have been on blood thinners like I was but even still you are open to becoming worse or from what I remember from mine was the worry was the clot moving towards the heart.

molloyjh · 23-11-2015 5:13pm

former total wrote: »

Francis' theories are based on facts that are wrong, therefore his entire theory is nonsense.

Here's just one:

Except when you do that, the hits you get back are all about nephrotic syndrome and creatinine. Is there a difference? Yes. This "fact" is completely wrong.

The smoking gun report that Francis cites? Well, let's look at that too.

What's the key word there? Methandion, or more correctly, methandienone, better known as Danabol, one of the most widely abused anabolic steroids that is out there and viciously toxic to the kidneys. Franno seems to have missed that bit.

Creatine is banned in France, he got that right. If he'd bothered his ample arse to do a bit of digging, he'd have found that the reasons for that ban have nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with kidney failure or nephrotic syndrome.

Throwing out wild accusations on the basis of a half-assed Google search is not on, using a guy's death to generate interest in your newspaper column is even worse.

The problem here now is that is was in the paper so it will become widely accepted by a large number of other people who are equally, if not more, lazy.

JPNelsforearm · 23-11-2015 6:10pm

How many "creatine scare" stories have the Irish press shifted at this point, Franno just getting in his early before the schools cup kicks off and the same articles are rehashed.

Remember, weight training, protein powder and creatine with give you heart problems, acne, massive muscles, 'roid rage, kidney failure, torn muscles and stunt your growth. The Irish media.............complete clowns, why do research when you can just make **** up!

Dave_The_Sheep · 30-11-2015 3:28pm

As the title says, quite funny and emotional.

game4it70 · 30-11-2015 4:39pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypff0vx2FZo

swiwi_ · 30-11-2015 4:42pm

Cheers for that D_T_S

"To be fair to this year's ABs, it's a pretty hard ask to get Steve Hansen onto the shoulders"

Made me chuckle.

I must admit I didn't realise how well appreciated Jonah was outside NZ (arguably more so outside than inside). Even a couple of Swiss work colleagues offered commiserations!

Some ABs are respected because they were good players, but not admired more than anyone else off the field, but Jonah certainly had a way with people.

RIP Jonah Lomu

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