PICTURES: When Ireland met the late, great Jonah Lomu

FOLLOWING the sudden and sad death of New Zealand legend Jonah Lomu, we’ve taken a look back through the archive photographs from 1995, when the All Black announced himself to the world against Ireland with the first of several incredible performances on the biggest stage.

Lomu had made a bit of a name for himself the previous year at the Hong Kong Sevens, but the rest of the world sat up and took notice at the ’95 World Cup in South Africa, with Ireland being the first victims of his brilliance.

Ireland’s 1995 Rugby World Cup could hardly have gotten off to a more difficult start. With reports – strongly denied at the time – of tensions within the Irish management, the last thing Ireland needed was a tough opener, but that was precisely what they got – an introduction to Lomu, who scored a try with his first touch.

“I went to tackle him on the basis that he was going to run over me,” said Richard Wallace, the former Ireland winger. “So I went low to fall back with him. Suddenly there was a hand on my head or shoulder or wherever and I’m going, ‘this is not going according to the script.’”

The game did go to script, though, with New Zealand recovering from an impressive Irish start to rattle off five tries in a 43-19 win. The All Blacks went on to lose to South Africa in the final, with Lomu crossing the whitewash on two occasions.

Indeed, Lomu was the record try-scorer in Rugby World Cup history with a total of 15 until this summer’s event and, despite his enormous 18st frame, he could run a remarkable 100 metres in 11 seconds in his prime.

Ireland would go on to beat Japan (50-28) and Wales (24-23) before bowing out to France (36-12) at the quarter-final stage at that World Cup.

Lomu, who was just 40, had suffered from a rare kidney disease called nephrotic disease, which prompted his early retirement from rugby in 2002. His exact cause of death has not yet been confirmed.