THE sudden and untimely death of Jonah Lomu has shocked us all. Of course, we knew he had been ill for some time - his on-going problems having done what few defences could and stopped him. Still, that he should be gone at only 40 leaves a huge gap.
There had been big wingers before him. The first season I ever sat in the old schoolboy seats around the pitch at Murrayfield, I remember thinking how huge Ireland's (Sir) Tony O'Reilly looked. AJF O'Reilly was six foot three and 14 and a half stones - taller and heavier than at least one of the Scottish second rows in the opposition.
But, what really sets Jonah apart is the realisation, he was the same height, but maybe a stone heavier than Scotland's greatest second row, Big Gordon Brown. Jonah broke the mould - now, seemingly every nation is seeking to field at least one Lomuesque clone on the wing.
Some of these guys are good, but, nobody will ever have the same effect on the game as Jonah had.
Even after his kidney problems surfaced, when he made any of his comebacks from hospitalisation, the X-factor had maybe gone, but, the All Blacks still found a way to use him. The mere threat of Lomu coming-in off his wing onto scrum ball would distract defences. Sometimes he got the ball, and scored, sometimes, the improved defences from when he first burst on the scene could stop him, but, more-often, he was a dummy runner, drawing-in three defenders to create space further out.
He was a class act, on, but more-importantly off the pitch. He lived life in a goldfish bowl, but always had time for his public. His had been a hard upbringing, he did his best to help the next generation of Pacific Islanders who had been drawn to New Zealand to avoid the mistakes he had made.
He was an icon to these youngsters - if Jonah could make it, so could they. He definitely left a legacy.
I remember speaking to several Scottish members of our Commonwealth Games team in Kuala Lumpur in 1998. Jonah was there with the New Zealand Sevens team. Even other competitiors who had won Olympic medals wanted to be photographed with Jonah - at those Games, the Scots tell me - he really was First Among Equals, surrounded as he was by greats in other sports.
One Scot still speaks with feeling about being seated next to Jonah at one of the athletes evenings. Of how humble and ordinary he was, asing about life in Scotland, speaking of his own life in Auckland - then, when the dancing began, Jonah suddenly leapt up, ripped-off his team tee-shirt and did an impromptu Haka.
"It was electrifying - he brought the house down", says my still awed spectator.
Aye Jonah Lomu - a genuine global superstar. Rest easy Big Man, and thanks for the many memories.
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