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Richie McCaw described the late Jonah Lomu as “a great man and a great All Black” ahead of confirming his own retirement from professional rugby and announcing his plans to become a pilot.
McCaw made the first of his record 148 Test appearances in 2001, the same year Lomu’s short but incredibly sweet career came to an end, and wraps up his illustrious run as an All Black with back-to-back World Cup wins as captain.
The 34-year-old resisted any temptation to postpone his scheduled announcement yesterday morning in Wellington as he joined the nation in mourning Lomu’s passing, and began the Press conference with his tribute.
“I remember watching the ‘95 World Cup and remember it all being about getting the ball to Jonah,” he said.
“Had he been 100 percent fit I wonder what he could’ve done, that’s scary. The first day I played against him I had two goes at tackling him and never got close. How he held himself paved the way for everyone who wore the jersey since.”
Throughout the World Cup in Britain, McCaw repeatedly refused to make any call on his future until he’d returned home, despite a number of his teammates making their plans known. He didn’t want individuals to overshadow the achievements of the team. — SportsMail.
Online Reporter