Jonah Lomu has sadly passed away

[SgorauKoller]

Long battle with illness. Only 40yrs of age. RIP. Probably the greatest Rugby player ever.

[Zenith]

Bloody hell, RIP

[Rock_Flock_of_Five]

That's so sad. At his prime he was unplayable. For someone of his size to be able to run as fast as he could and with the handling skills and positional awareness too. RIP rugby legend

[TH63]

Long battle with illness. Only 40yrs of age. RIP. Probably the greatest Rugby player ever. I wouldn't go that far tbh, but an outstanding talent nonetheless. Very sad news, way too young.

[Riled Taff]

Wow. By no means the greatest player rugby has seen but arguably one of the most formidable and definitely had a special and deserved aura about him. From what I've heard he was a really nice down to earth guy as well, when not terrorising his opposite number(s - it usually took at least two to bring him down) on the field.

Without a doubt a legend and rugby is poorer for his loss.

RIP Jonah

[NigelBlues]

Long battle with illness. Only 40yrs of age. RIP. Probably the greatest Rugby player ever. RIP Jonah, legend

[jon1959]

Long battle with illness. Only 40yrs of age. RIP. Probably the greatest Rugby player ever.
Very sad and a real shock as he was here and in good form at the rugby World Cup last month., it's no age at all especially for someone with young children. Great post. RIP Jonah.

[the other bob wilson]

Terrible when anyone dies that young, but, reading about his medical problems down the years, the news hasn't come as a complete shock.

I agree with those who say Jonah Lomu wasn't the greatest rugby union player ever, but I'd mark him down as the most iconic - I've never known another player dominate the game as he did around the time of the 1995 World Cup.

His frightening performance against England in the Semi Final of that tournament brought about a unique occasion where I actually felt sorry for one of the Underwood brothers - Tony had the unenviable task of marking him that day.

It tends to happen that, when a great performer comes along in any walk of life, there are flocks of less talented imitators who follow in their wake. So it was with Lomu, as more and more hulking great giants started being picked in positions where skill and style had been a major consideration in selection before.

In his pomp, Jonah Lomu was a player who combined strength and power with skill and there have been a few of similar size who have managed to do that down the years since the mid 90s, but I would argue that too many Lomu wannabes have helped clutter up the pitch and slow the game down, so it's not the spectacle it once was.

I don't really blame Lomu for this - I suppose the truth is he set the bar so high that it was impossible for all but a select few to match the standards he set.

RIP to a true rugby great.

[NECS]

I remember when he played for the Blues he took part in a sponsored walk in the Bay for kidney charities. I stood near him and he was such a big, fit bloke. While I agree he wasn't the greatest ever rugby player I would argue that he did more than anyone to change Rugby Union into the more physical game we know today. RIP

[BLUETIT]

No age at all 40, so young RIP


http://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/rugby/new-zealand-all-blacks- great-jonah-lomu-dies-aged-40/ar-BBn8DiV?li=AAaeUIW&ocid =iehp (http://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/rugby/new-zealand-all-blacks-great-jonah-lomu-dies-aged-40/ar-BBn8DiV?li=AAaeUIW&ocid=iehp)

[Majorblue]

Despite his medical problems that is a bolt from the blue.
He was on the BT Rugby programme only a few weeks ago and looked rematkably healthy and was saying how much he was enjoying living down in Bournemouth with some of his family.
Whilst he was probably not one of the greatest he was certainly one who made the greatest impact on the game ( especially if your surname was Catt or Underwood) as his style of play produced a shift in how teams attacked and also defended.
RIP .

[BlueWales]

RIP.

I'm waiting for some crocodile tears from the arrogant Will Carling who called
Jonah a " freak " and said the " sooner he is gone the better".

[SgorauKoller]

In his prime, on his game, he was absolutely unstoppable! RIP true great and legend to the game!

[ragbone]

Think he was completely unique in the rugby world. Perhaps the first iconic global rugby name , changed rugby's positional variation for wingers and backs in relation to size , power and style .

You now have six footers, 15 stone plus backs in the game now, however his unique strength , power and speed stood him out from the bunch ,then and now .

Never to be repeated , RIP Jonah .

[Rock_Flock_of_Five]

RIP.Those were backhanded compliments from Carling, albeit he later retracted his use of the word " freak". Carling was an admirer of Lomu and will be saddened by his passing away, like the rest of us.

[BlueWales]

RIP.
I'm waiting for some crocodile tears from the arrogant Will Carling who called to Porker Carling.

[Jive Turkey]

We never got to see the best of him. He was already ill in 1995. For people saying he wasnt the greatest ever. He was certainly in the same bracket as edwards, mccaw, shelford, meads etc

[Mario Miethig]

I'm not a big Rugby fan, but I was truly gutted to hear of Jonah Lomu's passing. Whenever I saw him on TV, he seemed a very humble, down to earth man.
As far as his Rugby playing goes, I watched the 95 World Cup and he was nothing like anybody had seen before and set the template on how attacking Rugby players are now. He will definitely go down in history as one of the greats.
RIP

[surge]

Jonah Lomu World Cup 1999 had the best sporting gaming commentary.

[WJ99mobile]

Honest question. Why have many said he's not the greatest ever player?

[Baker]

The Tiger Woods of Rubgy.

Very marketable, a massive icon for the sport and, as far as I'm aware, a true gentleman.

This marked with dying at such a young age makes it all more of a tragedy.

So, so sad and RIP.