Jonah Lomu: Queen sends condolences to All Black’s family

Lomu was a global superstar after starring at the 1995 and 1999 Rugby World Cup, leading to tributes from outside of the sport as well as those household names who played alongside and against the wing during his career. But after it failed in 2011, he became reliant on dialysis.

The New Zealand Herald described the image as “a moving tribute” to the great, while French site “Ministry of Rugby” featured the Irish Examiner front page in an article entitled “L’hommage de la presse internationale à Jonah Lomu avec la très belle Une de l’Irish Examiner”.

That was former All Black centre Alama Ieremia as he joined Off The Ball and Brian O’Driscoll in remembering Jonah Lomu, who passed away at the age of 40 this week.

Lomu’s family said Friday that a global outpouring of grief after the hulking winger’s shock death this week was helping them through “an incredibly hard time”.

Lomu met the Queen in November 2002 after the All Blacks visited Buckingham Palace as part of their northern hemisphere tour that year. “Richie will probably go down as the best who has ever played his game and his achievements will last forever”.

“I’ve been hugely privileged to do what I’ve done for so long, been in a few great teams with a few great men and what happened in the World Cup just been, everything falling into place was hugely rewarding”, McCaw said. It was a performance that helped to usher in the professional era. The whole of New Zealand can be very proud of him.

“My thoughts today are with your family”.

“He had blistering pace, power and speed”.

Tributes for him have come not only from the rugby world but also Hollywood stars, politicians and the many charities he supported.

According to Singapore Rugby Union (SRU) president Low Teo Ping, Rugby Singapore – the SRU’s commercial vehicle – had been having discussions with Lomu to be in Singapore next April as part of festivities for the Singapore Sevens.

He also encouraged a few of his fellow visitors, the Tongan overseas players who were visiting Tonga for the first time to go out and explore the islands and to experience the life that he grew up in.