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New Zealand rugby legend Jonah Lomu has died at home in Auckland at the age of 40. The news was confirmed by former All Blacks doctor John Mayhew earlier this morning. Lomu had been battling nephrotic syndome, a severe kidney disorder, since he was diagnosed in mid-1995. He underwent a kidney transplant in 2004 but continued to struggle with his health.
Regarded by most as one of the best wingers in rugby history, and certainly the most influential of the professional era, Lomu’s stunning on-field abilities combined with his gentle persona to make him one of the most loved athletes in the sport. He had been an ambassador for World Rugby – formerly the IRB – since his retirement in 2007 and had only just returned from the United Kingdom after reprising that role during the 2015 World Cup.
Lomu’s popularity extended well beyond the borders of traditional rugby-playing nations. He was held in tremendous regard in the Americas, and inspired a generation of players to watch and take up a sport they might otherwise not have been exposed to.
Lomu is survived by wife Nadene and sons Brayley and Dhyreille.
