Tall, muscular, bronzed and fiercely competitive, Jonah Lomu will go down in history as rugby’s biggest superstar.

Few international athletes have had such a great impact on their sport as Lomu has. His was the stuff of dreams: when just 19, he exploded onto the international scene during the 1995 World Cup in South Africa, scoring eight ties and helping the All Blacks reach the final.

At his peak, Lomu was nothing short of a phenomenon. He had the two key attributes that sportspersons aspire to – power and speed. He was a devastating force on the field, running through defensive walls of four or five players and leaving many an opponent wincing in pain. In a game dominated by one-on-one attack, Lomu was a behemoth who mesmerized fans the world over. The crowds loved him, the stadiums swayed in tumultuous cheer whenever he walked out or led the All Blacks in the haka or bulldozed past a defensive line.

However, his career hit a roadblock in 1996 when he was diagnosed with a rare kidney disorder and had to sit out an entire year. He returned for the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, picking up a gold medal representing New Zealand in the Sevens Rugby event, and the 1999 World Cup, where cored eight tries. Between 2000-2003, Lomu continued to play competitive rugby both at the club and international level, but deteriorating health forced him out of the game once again.

In 2004, Lomu underwent kidney transplant surgery after suffering renal failure, and had to rely on a dialysis for almost a year after that. Despite cautionary advice from the medical experts, in August 2006 Lomu made his first appearance in three years when he participated in New Zealand’s National Provincial Championship. Thought hardly at his peak, he left his mark in a 31-16 win over Wellington.

Though his international career is over, Lomu can look back his glorious career and 73 All Black caps with the security of knowing that he never let himself or his fans down.