Has anybody made as much impact on a World Cup (in any sport) as Jonah Lomu in 1995? The then-20 year old was barely a household name in his own household before the tournament got underway in South Africa (he’d only played for his country twice). But out of nowhere, he started to impose himself as the tournament progressed. And arguably his greatest ever performance came in the semi-final against a baffled and battered England, who watched Lomu help himself to four tries, in their 45-29 win, with him seemingly walking over and through Mike Catt in this photo. The beaten England captain, Will Carling, would refer Lomu as a “freak,” and it seemed to come across as both a compliment and an insult.
A Brief History of the Rugby World Cup
The seventh tournament took place from September 9-October 23, 2011 in New Zealand