There are very few sportsmen and women who can truly attest to have transcended the norm and changed the landscape of their respective sports forever in the way that Jonah Lomu did.
The sudden passing of the former All Blacks star at the age of 40 has sparked an outpouring of grief, both for him as the awesome talent he was in rugby union and his gentle and kind nature away from the field.
What Lomu, who battled for several years with chronic kidney disease, did for New Zealand in 1995 during the Rugby World Cup in South Africa changed the game of rugby forever. A sport that had yet to make the leap into being fully professional finally had the global star that it so craved. A player whose blistering pace, allied with his 6ft 5ins 18-stone frame and amiable persona, lit up a tournament and engaged a whole new audience. Rugby finally had lift off thanks to Lomu.
The image of him running through England’s Mike Catt as if he were a mere hologram is one that will endure the test of time. His four-try performance against England during the All Blacks’ semi-final success in 1995 will go down in sporting history as one of the great individual performances. A man who reinvented the wing position who, in his pomp, was simply unplayable, no matter who the opposition.
It was always to be the destiny of South Africa to win the 1995 Rugby World Cup and those images of a Nelson Mandela, donned in his Springbok jersey and baseball cap, presenting the Webb Ellis Trophy to Francois Pienaar is one of the most poignant sporting moments in history.
Lomu may not have won the World Cup winners medal his brilliance deserved but his impact and ultimate legacy was of a much greater significance than a medal round the neck or a trophy in the cabinet.
If sports do not have that standout star then they can never be successful. Lomu was that star for rugby union, his heroics in 1995 spawning a video game bearing his name two years later. Basketball had Michael Jordan, football had Pele, motorsport had Michael Schumacher, boxing had Muhammad Ali. All legends of their respective sports, all individuals who have left an indelible mark on their craft.
And while the light may have gone out on his time on this earth, the achievements of the gentle giant can never be dimmed.
