Rugby...

[Stretch]

didn't know he was even sick....rare kidney disease..R.I.P

[SwissVan]

Ai sad news, RIP big guy

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/rweb/wildcard/jonah-lomu-rugby-great-for-new-zealand-dies-at-40/2015/11/18/7fc570b0-8d9d-11e5-acff-673ae92ddd2b_story.html

 

Jonah Lomu, who bulldozed opponents with his size and blistering speed only to be felled by a kidney illness that extinguished his meteoric All Blacks career, died Nov. 18 in Auckland. He was 40.

New Zealand Rugby chief executive Steve Tew announced the death.

The son of immigrants from Tonga, innately humble off the pitch, was at his devastating best at the 1995 and 1999 World Cups, scoring 15 tries in 11 games but never winning the trophy.

 

The stabbing death of a friend steered Mr. Lomu away from street gangs in the blue-collar suburbs of Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, where he grew up.

Rugby gave him new direction. He channeled anger he felt about his father into the sport. Aged just 19 for the first of his 63 tests, he was a physical colossus for a winger — 6-foot-4; 262 pounds — and quite terrifying when pounding through defensive lines at speed.

Nephrotic syndrome, a degenerative kidney illness, curtailed his career at his peak. Mr. Lomu tried making a comeback after a 2004 transplant but was forced to abandon hopes of playing the 2007 World Cup. He played his last match in 2006.

At the height of his career, Mr. Lomu had the ear of South African president Nelson Mandela, charmed Hollywood comedian Robin Williams — who wore an All Blacks cap and called him “mate” — and visited parliaments and palaces.

 

His father, Semisi Lomu, was a factory worker, devoutly religious and a harsh disciplinarian. His mother, Hepi, held together the family living on a shoestring and acted as a buffer between father and son.

“At times he was the best dad that he could be,” Mr. Lomu said in a 2013 interview. “It was just when he drank, that’s when me and him disagreed. He was quite violent when he was drunk.”

He added, “Mum was always there to protect the kids. And when Dad got angry and wanted to bash us, she would get in the way. It builds up a lot of things inside of me.”

Jonah Tali Lomu was born on May 12, 1975, in Auckland. At age 1, he was sent to Tonga to be raised by an aunt who, for the next five years, he thought of as his mother. On return to New Zealand, Mr. Lomu rebelled against the strict father, leading to their eventual estrangement, and gravitated toward the streets.

 

“It made me battle-hardened for rugby,” he said. “When I was playing, when I found it hard, I just thought of my father and that got me through it. That anger got me through it.”

After the death of his friend, Mr. Lomu found new direction at Auckland’s Wesley College, a famous nursery of Polynesia rugby talent. There, he first showed the devastating combination of size fused with speed. Playing out on the wing, with time and space to hit his stride, he crashed through or cruised around opponents.

He played for New Zealand’s under-19 team and starred in rugby sevens before his All Blacks debut in June 1994, aged 19 years, 45 days. He became a formidable scoring weapon after mastering the technique of test rugby, scoring 37 test tries.

Selected late to the All Blacks squad after an injury to John Timu, Mr. Lomu burst to international fame at the 1995 World Cup in South Africa. He scored seven tries in five matches, including four in a rampaging semifinal win over England.

 

But by then he also knew he was sick. He missed tests against South Africa in 1996 and almost all of the 1997 season.

In 1998, he won a gold medal in rugby sevens at the Commonwealth Games. At the 1999 World Cup in Britain, he scored eight tries in six games, including two in New Zealand’s semifinal loss to France.

Mr. Lomu remained an All Black until 2002, but his health faded. He required dialysis three times a week. After his kidney transplant, he played with New Zealand’s North Harbour province and, with moderate success, for the Cardiff Blues in Wales.

“I was hoping that it would get better but it never did,” he said. “But, you know, I would never change anything.”

His marriages to Tanya Rutter and Fiona Lomu ended in divorce. Survivors include his wife, Nadene Quirk, and two sons

[Wannabe]

RIP, Jonah.

 

You guys know that South Africa was the only test playing nation he never scored a try against?

[Mntboy]

Personally I always thought he was lazy on defense but he more than made up for it on attack. A once in a generation player. He will be missed! #RIPJonahLomu

[scotty]

Now WP see him, now they don't. 

 

After less than one month on the job, it looks like coach Eddie Jones is ditching the Stormers to take up a position as England's new coach.

 

 

http://www.iol.co.za/sport/rugby/things-that-stayedlongerthaneddie-1.1947959#.Vk3x5vkrJqM

Edited November 19, 2015 by scotty

[BarHugger]

Saw a documentary on Jonah Lomu visting SA. Broadcasred today on DSTv 201. Really special, especially the last part where he meets some of the 1995 squad, including Joost (gulp, tissue).

 

Repeat tonight at 19:00.......IMO worth the watch and time.

Edited November 19, 2015 by BarHugger

[Benjamin]

Now WP see him, now they don't. 

 

After less than one month on the job, it looks like coach Eddie Jones is ditching the Stormers to take up a position as England's new coach.[/size]

 

 

http://www.iol.co.za/sport/rugby/things-that-stayedlongerthaneddie-1.1947959#.Vk3x5vkrJqM

Yeah, that's a real sadness. He would have been cracker for Province over the next few years.

Why don't England just pick Jake and leave Eddie alone. Surely England deserve Jake.

[GLuvsMtb]

Yeah, that's a real sadness. He would have been cracker for Province over the next few years.

Why don't England just pick Jake and leave Eddie alone. Surely England deserve Jake.

Eddie se ma se p..s.

[MTBeer]

Slimy Eddie and Jake the Snake. Now we know why they made a good combination in RWC2007.

 

F... off you Aussie piece of s h 1 t. May England lose all their game for the next 2 years

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Slimy Eddie and Jake the Snake. Now we know why they made a good combination in RWC2007.

 

F... off you Aussie piece of s h 1 t. May England lose all their game for the next 2 years

TBH dude, if there's a buyout clause ni the contract, and they trump up the entire amount as stipulated in the contract, there's nothing wrong with it. Yes, we may not like it, but tbh who wouldn't do the same when being confronted with that sum of cash, in today's rugby world?

[MTBeer]

TBH dude, if there's a buyout clause ni the contract, and they trump up the entire amount as stipulated in the contract, there's nothing wrong with it. Yes, we may not like it, but tbh who wouldn't do the same when being confronted with that sum of cash, in today's rugby world?

I know, I'm just taking the p!ss.

 

Except the part about England losing.

[GLuvsMtb]

TBH dude, if there's a buyout clause ni the contract, and they trump up the entire amount as stipulated in the contract, there's nothing wrong with it. Yes, we may not like it, but tbh who wouldn't do the same when being confronted with that sum of cash, in today's rugby world?

This puts back the Stormers at least 4 months (2 months since doing the deal with Eddie, and another 2 months before a new coach will take over). Any hope of being serious contenders has now seen its arse. I feel for the new guy that now has to step up. He'll be months behind the other teams and will still be expected to perform.

[StevieL]

...

[urbanroyal]

So the Stormers can't keep up with the Jones. ...lol

['Dale]

Is it confirmed?

 

Eddie doing a drive-thru?

 

Crazy if it is...

[MTBeer]

Is it confirmed?

 

Eddie doing a drive-thru?

 

Crazy if it is...

confirmed

 

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/nov/20/eddie-jones-appointed-england-coach-rfu