Local tributes have poured in for All Black legend Jonah Lomu, a man remembered for his outstanding feats in rugby and his unwavering down-to-earth nature.
Former Rotorua man and long-time All Black Sevens coach Sir Gordon Tietjens described Lomu as humble, caring and "unbelievably explosive on the field".
"I am obviously devastated with the news that has come through about Jonah. It has really hit me for a six.
"Back in 1994 when I saw Jonah playing at the nationals for Counties, I knew there was someone who was individually brilliant, in terms of his explosive power, his size, his speed, everything.
Lomu runs over Mike Catt to score the opening try in the 1995 Rugby World Cup semifinal. Photo / File
"It made him into one of my best-ever sevens players."
Sir Gordon said Lomu would always be remembered for his outstanding feats in rugby, but also for his "extraordinary personal qualities".
"He oozed genuine qualities of humility and kindness. He really cared about people. He was very humble and always maintained his down-to-earth nature.
"He was diagnosed with a kidney disease many years ago but you would have never known it. He just got on with his life. It must have been a huge challenge but he just kept going, never giving up or letting it stop him."
Lomu was still suffering from the rare kidney disorder known as nephrotic syndrome.
He had a kidney transplant in 2004 which helped his battle for seven and a half years but his body rejected the replacement organ in 2011.
All Black and Rotorua Boys' High School alumni Liam Messam said Lomu was a man who "inspired a nation".
"[He was] a man who changed the game, a man who put rugby and the All Blacks on the world stage but most importantly a man who was a loving husband and father."
Fellow All Black and Reporoa man Sam Cane tweeted his tribute, saying Lomu "dominated the game like no other".
"Growing up he was everyone's favourite player ... Thanks for the memories Jonah."
Waiariki Institute of Technology flew an All Blacks flag at half-mast yesterday. Waiariki said in a Facebook post Lomu was "more than an unbeatable All Black, he was a tireless fighter for New Zealanders".
"[He was] a huge inspiration to constantly strive to be your best at your best - especially to the future generations of Rotorua and the wider Waiariki rohe," the post read.
Readers also shared their memories of Lomu on the Rotorua Daily Post Facebook page, many calling him a legend, inspiration and a great ambassador.
More local tributes
* Matua Parkinson, former All Blacks Sevens player
"Jonah and I travelled together a few times with NZ Sevens and Hurricanes. As a person he was one of the boys, so humble and made you feel you were just as good as him. He never skited around how big he was. He was a respectful man, coming from his background. He was just a spectacular and genuine man."
* Clayton McMillan, Bay of Plenty Steamers coach
"Obviously it is a huge shock to have lost such an icon of New Zealand rugby at such a young age. I was fortunate to have played against Jonah and got a close-up view of how destructive and awesome he was. He will be sadly missed and is a legend and an inspiration to so many people, particularly the Pacific Island community."
* Mike Rogers, chief executive, Bay of Plenty Rugby
"He was the first global superstar of rugby. His appeal to young players and the role model he became in his career I almost think is second to none. We have Richie McCaw now but as an earlier ambassador of our sport, everyone you talk to who knew Jonah off the field says what a hell of a nice guy he was. He was always willing to contribute and always wanted to get to the national sevens here but was battling his health. He was always willing to give back to the game
