JONAH LOMU was a rugby legend and now that he is gone he has also left behind heroes who still live to tell the tale of how they stopped the Tongan tank.
They became heroes because they did what many other players playing against him could not do and that is put him to the ground.
After the Ratu Kitione Vesikula-coached Fiji team won three times in a row in Hong Kong in 1990, 1991 and 1992 the Kiwis, with all their brilliant rugby thinkers were still baffled by what they called the “Serevi Factor”.
They could not figure out how to stop him. Here was a small man who not only masterminded Fiji’s moves but outplayed the defence with his goosesteps and uncanny skills.
Then the Kiwis found big Jonah Lomu and they did not have to worry so much about the Serevi Factor.
With Lomu terrorising the defence, the Kiwis dominated the Hong Kong Sevens from 1994 to 1996.
In 1994 we lost to them in the semi-finals and in 1995 New Zealand beat us in the final 35-17, in 1996 they won again 19-17 in the final.
But the Serevi Factor, now under the coaching of Rupeni Ravonu, took over once again by winning the 1997 Melrose Cup for Fiji after we beat South Africa 24-21 in the final.
Lomu, now with worldwide fame in the fifteens code, returned to sevens rugby and New Zealand won the third Melrose Cup tournament in Argentina in 2001 in their first ever win.
That was the last Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament Lomu played in.
We can share the same sentiments of South Africa in 1995 RWC final and France in the 1999 RWC semi-final that we beat a New Zealand team in a world cup that had the fearsome Lomu in it.
While many factors have contributed to the success of the Hong Kong Sevens over the past 40 years, at its heart have been the magical performances of the players who have thrilled the crowds with their amazing skills and athletic prowess. Lomu is there with Serevi in Hong Kong’s very own “Magnificent Seven” team.
What a coincidence. It is the 40th year of the Hong Kong Sevens and Lomu dies at 40.
Lomu’s debut appearance in Hong Kong in 1994, aged 18, launched him into public recognition and within a few months he was the youngest-ever All Black.
Enormously powerful yet with a turn of speed that could grace an athletics meeting, he stormed to tries and records. Alongside his dominance in the 15-a-side game, notably at the 1995 and 1999 Rugby World Cups, his passion for the short code helped New Zealand win the Sevens gold medal at the 1998 Commonwealth Games, and he led his country to their first Rugby World Cup Sevens victory at the 2001 world championships in Argentina.
As a journalist I met him in an after-match function after the Fiji International Sevens in 1994. He was always tagging along with Joeli Vidiri. He was drinking juice but a Fijian fan gave him a glass of rum and he finally gave in and told everyone to look out for coach Gordon Tietjens because he did not want him to drink alcohol.
However, Fiji’s sevens fierce rivalry with New Zealand has gone on since 1984 the first time they played as a national side and we beat them 26-0 in Hong Kong and the rivalry gets more intense and will carry on into the generations to come.
The Fijian forward trio of the late Steelman Aminiasi Naituyaga, Setareki Tawake and Jope Tuikabe were the frontliners in the defence against this major threat from 1994 to finally winning in 1997. They had their hands full trying to contain the giant.
But perhaps one of the sweetest Fijian victories of all was the Fijian win in the first Wellington Sevens in 2000.
Fiji were the reigning world sevens champions and New Zealand were the Commonwealth gold medal champions of 1998.
The atmosphere in the final was so tense as the Kiwis wanted to win their first tournament.
They had every reason to expect to do so because they had the Lomu Factor.
The team had: Tony Monaghan, Eric Rush, Craig De Goldie, Caleb Ralph, Mils Muliaina, Karl Te Nana and Lomu.
We had Jope Tuikabe, Setareki Tawake, Marika Vunibaka, Fero Lasagavibau, Waisale Serevi, Vilimoni Delasau and Viliame Satala. Peni Veidreyaki was the coach and the late Taitusi Bunawa the trainer..
As expected the first New Zealand run was made by Lomu as he picked up space through the Fijian defence. However, Delasau stood his ground and grabbed him by the jersey collar dragging him to the ground. Lomu’s jersey was torn by the powerful tackle and he got a new one.
The Kiwis sent Lomu running again but he slammed into the body wrap of Tuikabe and ankle tackle of another Fijian player and was grounded again.
Fiji’s first try by Vunibaka was scored after Serevi ducked under a Lomu grab and Muliaina scored for NZ converted by Monaghan. Vunibaka and Delasau switched play and saw Dels scoring under the posts for Fiji to lead 12-7 at halftime.
The third time Lomu hit the ground was not by a tackle but by trying to stop a sidestepping Delasau. Delasau goosestep and runs away from defence Lomu tries to stop him as Dels gooseteps Lomu falls to ground and Vunibaka received the pass to run away for a try.
Lomu was finally taken out and replaced by Cullen. Cullen then follows Lomu outside after he ran into a Satala tackle.
The icing on the cake was when Delasau made a sizzling run from his own half sidestepping left and right to score under the posts. The late Temesia Kaumaia, Qauqau and Naevo also came in as replacements.The final score was 24-14.
Lomu came back with his New Zealand side to win one back the 2001 Melrose Cup and Fijian fans always had their heart stuck on their throats when the Tongan giant walks into the ground in his black colours.
Rugby sevens would not have been as exciting without Lomu terrorising the defence and everyone trying to stop him like tackling a runaway train.
By nature Lomu was a humble man, a gentle giant but was something else when on the field.
His mentors knew how to motivate him. Once before a Fiji game Eric Rush reportedly had to make up a story of what he overheard the Fijian players were saying about Lomu.
This fired up the Tongan and he destroyed the Fijian team on the ground.
Here was a man in every sense of the word and there will never be any other like him.
So long Lomu. Thanks for all the memories.
