Jonah Lomu tribute from Barnstaple chairman of rugby

New Zealand rugby star Jonah Lomu (second right) plays against Fiji during the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Lomu had suffered from kidney disease for two decades and had a transplant in 2004 but former All Blacks doctor John Mayhew said his death was a complete shock.

Lomu remained one of the world’s most recognised rugby players and had been in Britain for promotional work linked to the recently completed World Cup.

“For the first time ever you had this incredibly gifted, large, very fast athlete on the wing”. The All Blacks giant winger was famous for barnstorming runs which terrified small defenders universally.

“When you look at the last few months with Jonah and Jerry Collins, they are the two guys on your team that are indestructible, that will run through a brick wall and not think anything of it. Losing both has been hard and it makes you think about your own position and life in general”. If you could design a guy to play rugby, he was it. No one realised what the potential was in rugby until he turned up and did what he did.

His wife Nadene said: “It is with great sadness that I announce that my dear husband Jonah Lomu has died”.

Fitzpatrick said that “speaks volumes” as to what it meant to Lomu – a proud All Black and a proud New Zealander.

Ex-England fly-half Rob Andrew, who played against Lomu in the World Cup in 1995, told BBC Radio 5 live: “He was a blooming nightmare to play against”.

“In ’95 he was unstoppable”, says O’Driscoll digging in to his memory banks to tell a tale, perhaps apocryphal, about how Ireland’s players attempted to cope in their World Cup encounter with the new wonder-kid on the global scene.

“He was intimidating and he had a smile on his face when he did it, which made it even worse”, Andrew said of the winger who scored eight tries in seven games against England, more than against any other nation.

“He could turn the rugby mode on and off and at that time of his career he was just coming back in”.

“Importantly, away from the pitch Jonah was among the kindest and most respectful people you could hope to meet”.

Australian halfback George Gregan said Lomu had been in the best shape he had seen him for a long time at the tournament. Rugby’s first true global icon and legend.

“He was rugby’s first superstar, the whole world will feel this”.

The ripple effect was felt across New Zealand in particular, where a great generation of players emerged, wanting to step into Lomu’s shoes. “I’m absolutely devastated. It’s such a tragic loss at such a young age”.

He made a huge impact in the sport, because it never had someone like him before.