Former coach devastated by Lomu's death

Rotorua Boys' High School principal Chris Grinter was Jonah Lomu's first rugby coach at Wesley College. Photo/File

While many New Zealanders were shocked by the sudden death of All Black great Jonah Lomu there were none more so than his former high school rugby coach Chris Grinter.

Lomu died in Auckland today, aged 40.

Lomu's first coach was Rotorua Boys' High School principal Chris Grinter, who was deputy principal at Wesley College when Lomu arrived on the scene.

"He came into Wesley as a Year 9 student (3rd form) and made the 1st XV in Year 10.

"I worked closely with him through my deputy principal role and in my role as coach.

"He was an outstanding young man who was hard not to like, although he had some troubles he had to deal with in life, not the least of which had been his illness.

"He was someone that took his immense talent and was able to express it at the very top of the sporting world. When you see potential like that fulfilled it really is remarkable."

Mr Grinter said it was an honour to have Lomu ask him to write a piece for his latest book.

"We weren't in touch that often in later years, but we both knew where each other were and what we were up to. In his recent book, which I think was published last year, he came back to me to ask me to write the foreword to it.

"Jonah changed the game of rugby forever, not only the role of the winger but the role of the rugby athlete. It would be hard to find many others who have influenced the game of rugby the way Jonah Lomu did."

All Black great Jonah Lomu died today. Photo/File

Mr Grinter said he was devastated when he heard the news of Lomu's death.

"What a shock and what a loss. I still don't really know the details, but it's just a devastating piece of news and your heart obviously goes out to his two boys and his wife and the wider family."

In an interview with the Rotorua Daily Post in 2004 Lomu said Mr Grinter approached him after watching him playing basketball and asked him to try out for the position of lock.

"I went down and had a crack at it and made it in ... ," Lomu said.

"There definitely would have been a totally different story if it wasn't for rugby and Chris Grinter - there wouldn't have been a Jonah."

Lomu described Mr Grinter's involvement in his life in more detail in his book Jonah - My Story, published in 2004.

The book publicised his sometimes violent struggle with his father and life on the streets .

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Mr Grinter was in charge of discipline at the school and Lomu admits he got to know him well that first year.

"It didn't take Chris very long to recognise that I had arrived at Wesley with an attitude. He decided I needed to channel my anger and aggression in a more positive way.

"The answer was simple. He went out and bought me a punching bag," Lomu said in his book.

At the time Lomu was more interested in rugby league but made a promise to Mr Grinter to switch to rugby for at least one year.

One of the highlights of schoolboy rugby for Lomu was scoring five tries in a match in his final year - against Rotorua Boys' High School.