Discussion
I've just been watching some videos of Lomu such as http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsXTa7UCGlk, and got to wondering how the hell did he manage to keep going through so many tackles?! His power and speed were incredible, of that there can be no denying, but surely it can't be just that as there are plenty of quick, powerful players in today's game who aren't a patch on Lomu in his prime. And surely it can't be purely down to there being a lack of decent competition when he was playing?
Would he fare as well if he was in his prime right now and playing? I cannot believe how he breaks 5 or more tackles and just keeps ploughing through. What a legend!!!
Would he fare as well if he was in his prime right now and playing? I cannot believe how he breaks 5 or more tackles and just keeps ploughing through. What a legend!!!
Happy82 said:
His stats claim he was 119kg and could run 100m in 10.8seconds, can any current players claim this?
I think Alesana Tuilagi is a good current comparison. 117kg according to the Tigers website, and I can't find any 100m times, but he can get some serious speed on when needed. I certainly wouldn't want him running at me... 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3PS3aQvG5M
Edited by Egg Chaser on Tuesday 25th October 00:56
GilbertGrape said:
Some of those guys were a lot smaller than Jonah. I forget which team it was, but one of the teams in the RWC had only 3 or 4 players under 100KG.
I think this is a big part of it. Top level players are now a fair bit bigger on average than their predecessors, even over the last 15 years. I remember back in the early 1990s the England/Lions back row forwarding Mike Teague saying that before too long the scrum-halves would be his size...don't think he'll be too far off the mark in the end.
MIssed the chance to play against him due to a neck injury- one of my life's biggest regrets! Would have been his opposite number too.... 
The chance to take him down would have been amazing)- even though i was technically a prop forward at the time!
If you look at the vids its not really his size or speed- 120kg is big, but not the biggest, for example delaglio was 115kg and not a lot slower, especially at his peak.
If you look at guys nowadays, there are bigger people who aren't a lot slower- some of the modern props are explosively quick- John Afoe for example is 126kg and ridiculously quick.
BUT jonah had a very high knee stepping action that meant you basically got knee'd in the face evey time you tried to tackle him, he also had very very long reach and a massively powerful upper body- it meant he could hand off most people, and "knee" off the rest. If you look at most sprinters their leg action isn't as high- if you look at the vidoes you can see that jonah changes his action when he has contact with players, to when he is running full tilt.
did once see him playing against northern transvaal in the 90s, he ran through the pack and quite possibly the biggest prop i've ever seen (who couldn't run very well as his legs were so big- and it was muscle not fat), stopped jonah by picking him up one handed and smashing him to the floor. Lomu clearly had no idea what happened! most amusing....
The chance to take him down would have been amazing)- even though i was technically a prop forward at the time!If you look at the vids its not really his size or speed- 120kg is big, but not the biggest, for example delaglio was 115kg and not a lot slower, especially at his peak.
If you look at guys nowadays, there are bigger people who aren't a lot slower- some of the modern props are explosively quick- John Afoe for example is 126kg and ridiculously quick.
BUT jonah had a very high knee stepping action that meant you basically got knee'd in the face evey time you tried to tackle him, he also had very very long reach and a massively powerful upper body- it meant he could hand off most people, and "knee" off the rest. If you look at most sprinters their leg action isn't as high- if you look at the vidoes you can see that jonah changes his action when he has contact with players, to when he is running full tilt.
did once see him playing against northern transvaal in the 90s, he ran through the pack and quite possibly the biggest prop i've ever seen (who couldn't run very well as his legs were so big- and it was muscle not fat), stopped jonah by picking him up one handed and smashing him to the floor. Lomu clearly had no idea what happened! most amusing....
Depended on the opposition really, no doubt a real force but he never once crossed the line against the Springboks.
James Small stopped him every time in the WC final and pretty much nullified his presence, and he is about 85kg's, so technique and extreme bravery could undo him, you just had to have the right players to do it.
Watching him run over defenses is a laugh, but I dont think the defenses he managed that with could have been particularly good.
James Small stopped him every time in the WC final and pretty much nullified his presence, and he is about 85kg's, so technique and extreme bravery could undo him, you just had to have the right players to do it.
Watching him run over defenses is a laugh, but I dont think the defenses he managed that with could have been particularly good.
Indeed Lomu was a bit of a game changer. The old way of tackling, was to get both arms round the hips and then slide them down the thighs to bring the player down. Lomu kind of killed this off by incrasing his stride length dynamically and breaking the arms circle around him.
Very powerful and able to 'split' his stride even at a good pace. One of the reason why more shoulder led tackling is seen in the modern game (despite its illegality)
Very powerful and able to 'split' his stride even at a good pace. One of the reason why more shoulder led tackling is seen in the modern game (despite its illegality)
Lawrence certainly had the power. Nice slow mo at the end.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CiWQ4-nnkg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CiWQ4-nnkg
One of the guys on another forum I visit is friends with Jonah, apparently he's in a very bad way right now
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/5791573/Jonah-L...
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/5791573/Jonah-L...
I was fortunate enough to be working in NZ in '96 when the Super 12 started. Got to Eden Park several times to see Jonah and the Auckland Blues, he ran through Kiwi, Oz and SA players just like he did the English in the RWC '95.
The Blues only lost twice that year (in OZ agains Reds and Warratahs), particularly enjoyed a 56-44 win against the Warratah's at EP where Jonah flattened Campo!! That Blues side was simply awesome, not just Lomu but the Brooke brothers, Fitzy, Carlos Spencer, Cashmore, Blowers, Dowd, Jones............. And they beat Natal in the final at EP who fielded one Andre Joubert along with Ollie Le Roux, Teichmann, Honiball, Small.
All those stars on view for what equated to £6 at the time!!
Great memories
The Blues only lost twice that year (in OZ agains Reds and Warratahs), particularly enjoyed a 56-44 win against the Warratah's at EP where Jonah flattened Campo!! That Blues side was simply awesome, not just Lomu but the Brooke brothers, Fitzy, Carlos Spencer, Cashmore, Blowers, Dowd, Jones............. And they beat Natal in the final at EP who fielded one Andre Joubert along with Ollie Le Roux, Teichmann, Honiball, Small.
All those stars on view for what equated to £6 at the time!!
Great memories
It was this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhmQlxCDFSc&fea... that impressed me - the way he just walks over Mike Catt. And I think it was the same game where from a standing start he turns and catches and dumps one of the underwoods.
I hope he's able to recover through this latest health scare, apparently his kidney issues have gotten a lot worse recently.
Seems like a genuinly nice guy who did a lot to raise the profile and interest in rugby, he has young kids too. It's a terrible thing for anyone to go through, but for a player of his talent, and someone who was about as fit as it's possible to be, it must be devastating.
Seems like a genuinly nice guy who did a lot to raise the profile and interest in rugby, he has young kids too. It's a terrible thing for anyone to go through, but for a player of his talent, and someone who was about as fit as it's possible to be, it must be devastating.
el stovey said:
That shove on the first dude (Lewcy?) mid flight was enough to knock a 16 stone man over, what mental power!!!!okgo said:
el stovey said:
That shove on the first dude (Lewcy?) mid flight was enough to knock a 16 stone man over, what mental power!!!!Gassing Station | Sports | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff