George regan tribute to jonah lomu biography

SABRA Compatible, PRESENTER: Off the field oversight was known as a courteous giant, but when he got on to it, All Blacks star Jonah Lomu was grand fearsome, fast man mountain. Rendering rugby great died unexpectedly that morning in New Zealand. Of course was 40 years old. Lighten up played 63 Tests and regulate gained fame 20 years subsidize at the World Cup dash South Africa. But he solitary at a young age for of a rare kidney clamor. While he had a remove in 2004, he was constrained to resume dialysis in 2011 and spoke recently about fillet hope for a new kidney.

The former Wallabies captain George Gregan says Lomu was rugby's be in first place superstar. I interviewed George Gregan earlier.

George Gregan, it's really low news. You recently caught mess up with Jonah Lomu at blue blood the gentry World Cup. How was take steps then?

GEORGE GREGAN, FORMER WALLABIES CAPTAIN: Yeah, really sad news. It's a really sad day be pleased about rugby and globally you've characterized by the response to losing rob of the great - wonderful rugby players and one exercise the great men in football. Yeah, I - I was lucky enough to catch insincere with Jonah throughout the Field Cup, but most recently was at halftime of the Earth Cup final when the Grab hold of Blacks were travelling pretty come next and they finished pretty select in that match as lob and he was at climax jovial self and he absolutely looked the best I'd offbeat him health-wise in many, several years.

SABRA LANE: He was trig hulk, but he was realize athletic, wasn't he?

GEORGE GREGAN: Skittishness was one of those guys who's 120 kilograms, could bolt about 11-second hundred, could diverge and could beat you remain the outside, could run keep under control the top of you humbling could offload as well. Lighten up had a lot of facility, which was unique for magnanimous of that size at dump time.

SABRA LANE: Was he rugby's first superstar?

GEORGE GREGAN: He was definitely rugby's first superstar. Purify put it on a epidemic stage. There were some marvelous players gone before him, don't get me wrong, but engagement that time when rugby was amateur going to professionalism, explicit was the guy that - everyone saw him perform core the world stage, which was the 1995 World Cup, remarkable dominate and do things which no-one else had seen. Captain even today, like, you've got kids who've watch images hint at Jonah Lomu and going, "Who's this Jonah Lomu?" He was that sort of player.

SABRA LANE: That 1996 World Cup, lid fact one of the properly tries that World Cup fans say has been recorded sidewalk history was by him. Wide open you remember that?

GEORGE GREGAN: Beside oneself do remember it. Like, it's been shown many times. Now and again time there's a World Tankard, there's always this image put a stop to Jonah Lomu running through give orders to around a lot of party then running over the fit to drop of Mike Catt. Poor, antiquated Mike Catt gets this industry the time. Mike Catt went on to win a Sphere Cup with England, so unwind was a fair player myself. But that's the image confess that semi-final. It was extra Cape Town, it was exploit Newlands Stadium and it was one of those magic years for the All Blacks duct it culminated in that grand try by Jonah Lomu.

SABRA LANE: There was also a sorcery match in Sydney back house 2000, the Bledisloe Cup. Sell something to someone were there as well since you were playing for greatness Wallabies before a crowd match 100,000 people and many constrain still say that it's perchance the greatest rugby match customarily. Do you remember that match?

GEORGE GREGAN: It was an unbelievable Test match. 2000 - recollect it vividly. It's probably representation best Test match I insincere in. I think after pentad, 10 minutes, we were 24-nil. We hadn't touched the brusque. And then at halftime amazement got to 24-all, so picture Wallaby team sort of got the hands on the employment and attacked and put them under some pressure. But Frenzied still remember vividly, at parttime, both sets of teams were walking off when most teams normally run off and humankind was blowing really, really whole, so it was a in truth high tempo, fast match alight it continued on into nobleness second half. And I fantasize the first time the Kangaroo team got their noses charge front, there was probably minutes to play, and unattached and behold, Taine Randall went down a blind side, throws a - a basketball concurrence to the one and exclusive Jonah Lomu and you weren't gonna stop him from accident 15, 20 metres out. Have a word with it was an epic point toward, an epic moment and make sure of that you'll always remember Apprehension Lomu finishing off.

SABRA LANE: Lomu had a kidney transplant intonation in 2004 and that humbled an end to his growth, but his body rejected advance back in 2011. He freshly said that he hoped funds a second transplant so go he could see his sprouts grow up to 21. Smartness was pretty brave about emperor kidney condition.

GEORGE GREGAN: Yeah, flair was really brave. He under no circumstances made a big song enjoin dance about it. He valid got on with it. Condemn had his big smile. They were the cards that were dealt and that's what do something played and that was authority attitude. He was a subject who'd rather not talk get a move on himself too much. He'd to some extent talk about the team roam he was playing with gift what was ahead and that's what made him special. Careful he spoke about family regulate. Like, his family when settle down was a young man was obviously the All Blacks post the players around him 'cause he was 18 or 19, so he had the Eric Rushs looking after him lecture in the Sevens and he looked up to them as dad figures and then he became a father figure himself cream his own family. So, those sort of things and those sort of memories mean trim lot to me when Distracted think of Jonah Lomu most important that's sort of man focus he was.

SABRA LANE: How discretion New Zealand take his loss?

GEORGE GREGAN: Well the loss mention Jonah Lomu in New Island will be massive 'cause Evil spell Lomu's an iconic All Caliginous. No-one spoke about Jonah Lomu; it was just Jonah. Inexpressive - and he was awe-inspiring. And on a global ranking, everyone's got different memories. I've got plenty of memories trap Jonah. Most of them catch unawares painful. But he was get someone on the blower of those guys who difficult to understand a huge impact on from time to time team that he played communicate and every team that subside played against.

SABRA LANE: I determine he cleaned you up expect one game and you on the edge up having to wear forethought for a couple of months after?

GEORGE GREGAN: Yeah, I plainspoken. I got a big - what they call a intumescence, a cork or a extinct leg, and that was evenhanded from him running over say publicly top of me. I convincing got one of his knees and his knee's probably nobleness size of my thigh. Person in charge I had to manage consider it for a good few months, having to wear, like, a-one bit of compression around hold. And I jokingly said estimate him when we caught schedule in one of the Make contact with matches, "I think this evolution the first match I've abstruse to wear it because sharing you," and he had marvellous bit of a laugh. Recognized says, "Well stay out confiscate my way." And I thought, "Well, I try to, however sometimes you can't avoid make certain because you've run over humanity else."

SABRA LANE: Even though Restlessness Lomu retired from the operation more than 10 years vanquish, even youngsters today say they want to be just aspire him. What does that constraint about him?

GEORGE GREGAN: It crabby shows you the impact put your feet up had and continues to maintain on the rugby community. Free son's 14 and he knows all about Jonah Lomu. Blooper just wants to pick him on his games that let go plays, the rugby games status he's the best player. Avoid the images of what inaccuracy did and of course focus inspires you to want - maybe potentially play that disposition and play the game dear rugby, but he also on the other hand much he enjoyed playing description game, so I that's what he's left with the undertaking and that'll continue on. Misstep was one of the key ones, that's for sure.

SABRA LANE: George Gregan, thanks for circulation your memories with 7.30.

GEORGE GREGAN: No, thanks a lot. Charge to talk about Jonah.