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Fitting final tribute to Jonah Lomu

Tuesday, December 01 2015 by SNTV
  • The Haka is performed at a public memorial service for former All Blacks rugby star Jonah Lomu at Auckland's Eden Park on Monday.

    A fitting tribute for the great Jonah Lomu, at one of the stadiums where he wowed the world.

    The former New Zealand winger died last week aged just 40, his former coach John Hart summed up how big a name he was in rugby.

    SOUNDBITE: (English) John Hart, former All Blacks coach:

    "Will there ever be another New Zealander whose sudden passing hits CNN breaking news? Who receives an obituary in the New York Times?"

    He would strike fear into the opposition when he performed the haka and former teammate Eric Rush fondly remembers how to tell if he was really on his game...

    SOUNDBITE: (English) Eric Rush, former team mate:

    "I knew he was going to play well when the nostrils started flaring up, and I always used to make fun of him, I said no one could catch him because whenever the nostrils flared up he took all the oxygen and no one had anything else to catch him."

    This was a celebration of his life but because it was so short, many here are visably still shocked. He leaves behind wife Nadene and his two boys but also an incredible legacy.

    SOUNDBITE: (English) John Hart, former All Blacks coach:

    "We salute All Black number 941, but to the world you will be known as the All Black who made number 11 his own."

    SOUNDBITE: (English) Eric Rush, former teammate of Jonah Lomu:

    "I'm just blessed to have been a part of your amazing journey mate, and we're going to miss you Big Man, we're definitely going to miss you. So, rest in peace brother."

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