Dubai: Losing the Rugby World Cup final in 1995 still seems to rankle All Blacks legend and the game's first superstar Jonah Lomu. The pain is lessened to a degree by the All Blacks' recent win on home soil. And in an exclusive interview to XPRESS ahead of his guest appearance at the Abu Dhabi Chequered Flag Ball for the Formula One weekend, Lomu, who is battling a painful kidney disorder, revealed why the heartbreak remains even after all these years.
Bitter pill to swallow
"It was certainly disappointing in '95," he said.
"I'll be honest we were kind of hoping we didn't meet them [hosts South Africa] in that final. You could feel the momentum building for the home side the further the tournament went on, and it was in the stars that they win it. We had played some great rugby in that World Cup though so to fall at the final hurdle was a bitter pill to swallow as a player and no doubt as a fan. But this is a different era and a different set of players and they're making their own history. It was a fantastic win, and one that the entire nation has been celebrating ever since."
The 36-year-old wing, however, played down his chances of taking up the reins of the side following coach Graham Henry's exit.
"I think Graham Henry has done a fantastic job and it's understandable that he wants to step aside and let someone else take over. Steve Hansen I think is the guy Graham Henry wants to fill his boots, and maybe it's his time to step up and take the reins. You never know what will happen but he is probably the number one contender for the role," he said, adding: "I have too many friends still in that team to be able to step in and coach them. Some of the older guys playing now were young guys when I was still an All Black so I wouldn't be comfortable stepping in as a coach just yet."
The Rugby World Cup all-time top try scorer with 15 tries is modest when asked about his superstar status.
"I don't really feel I had to deal with anything as such. It was always just about the rugby for me and everything that went along with the notoriety never really distracted me. People say I was the first global superstar but that's for them to say, rather than me. I was blessed to play with so many great All Blacks during my career and I wouldn't have been anything if it wasn't for them," he said.
Lomu first came to international attention at the 1994 Hong Kong Sevens tournament and believes the Dubai Sevens has gone a long way in raising the profile of the game here.
"I keep saying to everyone, Sevens is the game you need to play. Things don't come to you easily in Sevens and there is nowhere to hide, it's like the boxing version of rugby and you are exposed all the time so you learn much faster.
"It's such a great format for any young player and the conditions in Dubai are equally testing. I was very fortunate to play in Dubai at the old Sevens stadium on more than one occasion and for me it was a great place to come and play. The atmosphere never failed to capture the imagination.
"It's great what they are doing with rugby locally in the UAE. Sevens is a great fun way to introduce youngsters to the sport and I have no doubt the Sevens in Dubai has gone a long way to building a great culture of rugby in the country."