Jonah Lomu, the world's first rugby superstar, has died
11-18-2015, 09:13 AM
As a South African he was a small kid during the 1995 RWC.
I can only say may he rest in peace.
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Jonah Lomu, the world's first rugby superstar, has died
11-18-2015, 02:44 PM
No doubt as a catalyst he came closest to making rugby an international sport after his performance at the 1995 world cup, as a wrecking ball 196cm 120kg wing (football's equivalent of a wide receiver) who had a best time of 10.8 over 100 meters. It's still either an obscure or unknown sport in many countries. Many ideas have been hatched over the years to try to make it take off in the USA. The sport has some very remote similarities to gridiron football.
Since most here haven't seen him they should check youtube clips of him at his best before he was afflicted by kidney disease which prematurely ended his career, and now his life. He was inducted in world rugby's hall of fame a few years ago.
RIP
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Jonah Lomu, the world's first rugby superstar, has died
11-18-2015, 02:56 PM
Watching some of his highlights makes me think what might have been going through his opponents heads, no chance to stop him.
Lomu had a lumbering running style but still moved very fast
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Jonah Lomu, the world's first rugby superstar, has died
11-18-2015, 03:58 PM
He was one of my first sporting idols. I had a rugby fever for quite some time during his prime in the 90s. He was considered an athletic freak in the rugby world, and him passing away at only 40 because of kidney failure, is a shocker. Its a wake-up call to me, that you're never guaranteed to reach old age. So make the most of now, just like Jonah did.
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Jonah Lomu, the world's first rugby superstar, has died
11-18-2015, 05:07 PM
He used to launch his opponents aside one handed.
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Jonah Lomu, the world's first rugby superstar, has died
11-18-2015, 05:10 PM
My childhood idol. Everyone wanted to be like Jonah... RIP
Jonah Lomu, the world's first rugby superstar, has died
11-19-2015, 03:33 AM
@ Horus
Thanks for noting that.
Bone-head typing error, meant to say that I was a small kid...
The '95 RWC, was a real time of change in my country.
(South Africa just had its first democratic election, 5years before it was a racist police state)
& he was a player in that momentous time.
Great Man, Great Player - total beast.