Jonah Lomu Dies

[Big E 118]

Thankyou4calling said:

Really sad to see the passing of Jonah Lomu.

For me he was an absolute legend of Rugby and sport, a game changer.

I'd rank him up there with Ali, Woods, Bolt, Federer, Pele for the impact he made and how people had to rethink things based on what he could do.

Well put, he was a player who's unique talents changed the whole sport of rugby union.

He lived next door to my father for some time in Auckland. My father and his wife always spoke very highly of Jonah and his family.

Away from sport he was an inspiration to many in the way he battled his serious health issues and never gave up on his dream to play top level rugby again.

RIP Jonah and thoughts are with his family.

[ALT F4]

Sad news

Awesome rugby player who changed the face of the game in to a more exiting and explosive encounter.


I was a youngster when I was near the touchline in the crowd when he crashed over Tony Underwood at the Rugby World cup in South Africa !

My father, brothers and I had travelled to go and watch the England world cup matches. I remember watching in total awe at a new force in Rubgy.

[james_tigerwoods]

I can only ever imagine that, when playing club rugby, the opponent teams would think "they're fielding who now? Ah st...."

That always makes me chuckle at the great man

[audidoody]

Absolutely stunned. I knew about his kidney illness - but he looked so well at the RWC. What a dreadful week,

[Digga]

audidoody said:

Absolutely stunned. I knew about his kidney illness...

Likewise. Really was an "oh no!" moment when I heard the news on the radio on the way into work. A real shame.

[Smokehead]

RIP big man. A juggernaut of the sport.

[El Guapo]

This news is quite shocking, it's not often that such a force of nature bursts onto the scene. To look at him you would have thought that he was indestructible.

[mitzy]

Went to England Vs The Barbarians and he was playing

We were up in the god sitting watching the match and he was a man mountain and unstopable

Very Sad, A True Sports Man

[V8 Fettler]

Lomu was a high velocity juggernaut. I'm sure I can recall seeing him dump Dean Richards on his backside and then promptly run through Rodber, both England forwards were regarded as two of the most robust players in the game at the time.

[dandarez]

El Guapo said:

This news is quite shocking, it's not often that such a force of nature bursts onto the scene. To look at him you would have thought that he was indestructible.

Hours of being a prisoner to dialysis can destroy anyone, even the really strong.

Kidney transplant 11 years ago, body rejected it 4 years ago.

Very sad story of a real sportsman.

[johnxjsc1985]

He put up one hell of a fight .I remember him as a young man simply destroying us and anyone who got in his way what an Athlete he was. Just 40 years old hopefully his passing will highlight the devasting disease that many suffer with. RIP Jonah a legend in every sense of the word

[soad]

Jonah Lomu: Real-time superhero, wrecking ball, force of nature
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/34859301

[Crush]

Very sad news his running through the English team like a Challenger tank through a vegetable patch was what inspired me to pick up a rugby ball.

RIP big fella

[johnxjsc1985]

watched him on Sky Sporting heroes earlier. He did not reveal his ilness to the team or the manager he only wanted to be selected on merit, During this time he was accused of being lazy and a poor trainer if only they had of known but such was the character of the man only two people knew.

[Welshbeef]

Such sad news again (Jerry Collins not long ago) and again at no age.

I never saw him play live but certainly enjoyed watching him on TV - what a player what presence still holds the highest individual number of tries in RWC (you have to wonder if that will ever be beaten now especially the way the game has changed)

Some players come and go but I'd imagine that in another 20+ years he will still be talked about in such a great way (just as we talk about the legends of the past).


He also proved you could come back from serious health problems to them play at the highest level.

Very sad news.

[Jasandjules]

Tragic news. A real loss to the world and taken far too young.

[DaveCWK]

Very sad
RIP Lomu

[Mattygooner]

Incredibly sad, met him in passing at an event just last week, would never have known he was battling 6 hours a day on dialysis. Someone i know has met him a few times at various dinners in the last few week and said what an incredibly nice and friendly person he was.

There was probably one of the best known people on the planet there, but those in the know we're genuinely awestruck as he walked by and smiled and said hi.

An absolute legend of sport, tragically lost at such a young age.

[AdamIndy]

I'm not a rugby fan at all but I always watched when he was playing. I was genuinely gutted when I heard the news. The man was the true meaning of a legend, a real game changer. He was a beast! He will be missed. RIP big man. As I saw on Facebook earlier, "the game upstairs just got a whole lot tougher".

[Mr GrimNasty]

And still no one mentions his problems can be caused by creatine/steroid abuse! Not saying they were, just what are the odds?

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/rugbys-obses...