Goodbye to a giant

My first exposure to rugby was some sort of article about the 1995 World Cup in some magazine that was lying around the house. I didn't grow up in a house that followed the game; my dad had played a bit at school and that was it. I went to a primary school that did no organised sport at all. I can't even recall it being on the TV. Family legend says I only learnt to read so I could follow Crystal Palace's results but that was as far as my interest in the sports pages went. 

No, I didn't read about Jonah Lomu being awesome then. I mean, I probably did, but it doesn't stick in my memory. I vaguely recall hearing on the news about England getting knocked out, to no small extent down to some oversized freak of a wing. I was aware, in my distant way, that was a remarkable time for rugby; professionalism, black men in Springbok jersies, and 19 stone wingers. I knew I wanted to play this game. But I only really got involved when I went to secondary school and, the glories of 2003 aside, I only became truly fascinated with the game after I completed university, drifted back to my rugby club due to peer pressure and got sucked in by the 2009 Lions tour.

In all that time of half-interest, I knew who Jonah Lomu was. I knew he was amazing. I watched the 2007 World Cup final without really knowing a single one of the players, but Lomu? Yeah. Who could forget that video of him running over Mike Catt? In much the same way even people with no interest in Basketball know who LeBron James is, Lomu was unforgettable.

As my interest in the game has grown, so has my appreciation for what Jonah Lomu has done and his status in the game. He was rugby's first superstar and he did it  by changing the game. Wings of about his size are the norm now but looking back at the highlights, you know damn well that if he was around today he'd still be terrifying. He mightn't have scored 15 tries in 2 World Cups today but he'd have got close. The most incredible thing is he did it all with the kidney condition that would eventually bring first his career, and now his life, to a premature half.

The biggest loss is to Lomu's family. To see your son die is heartbreaking; to grow up always missing your father scarring. None of the acclaim and love for their loved one will take away their pain. It is a loss for all of rugby though. I think in all the sport's history, we've possibly only had one icon, and now he is gone. Wilkinson? McCaw? Carter? Amazing athletes but I don't think any of them have seized the global conciousness like Lomu did. My girlfriend is an American with no particular interest in rugby. She heard about Lomu's death. 

And because rugby is a small game, if you listen, you soon hear what players are like. Some are wazzocks, some are mad, but I've yet to hear a bad word spoken about Jonah Lomu. He was just a really nice guy.

A gentleman and a giant - may we see his like again.

Rest easy Jonah.