Take a look at this video and be reminded of the power and majesty of Jonah Lomu.

It’s exactly 20 years since he burst onto the rugby scene at the World Cup in South Africa, smashing his way past and through hapless defenders. There have been many pretenders to the throne since Lomu abdicated it, Junior Savea being the latest, but none have had the impact of Lomu. He owned the World Cup.

Watching on television, News Corporation boss Rupert Murdoch is rumoured to have seen Lomu in full flight and said, “I want that.”

Barely days later, the television mogul held the rights to southern hemisphere rugby, having coughed up $550-million for the privilege.

Such was the impact of Lomu whose size, power and speed had never before been seen in international rugby. A couple of bigger backs have come along – Nemani Nodolo is an eye-watering 130kg and man-beast Taqele Naiyaravoro of the Waratahs is 120kg – but none has turned the game on its head quite like Lomu.

There have been comparisons with Savea, who is a fine player, but no single player has ever transcended the game like Lomu with his deadly stride and instinct for the line.

South Africans react with a burst of pride at the mention of Lomu’s name, for he never once scored against the Springboks. This was credit to the bloody-mindedness of the team (take a bow Joost van der Westhuizen and Japie Mulder), but we would prefer not to be reminded how many times he popped the ball out to Josh Kronfeld on his shoulder to score.

One year I found myself in a lift with Lomu in Auckland, New Zealand. Most rugby players are big units, but he was positively enormous. Little wonder defenders bounced off his tree trunk thighs.

Lomu’s star shone all too briefly, but for a while he was the most devastating athlete on the planet. Ill health took a heavy toll on him in recent years, but happily he is much recovered now.

He was a guest at the recent SA Rugby awards and looked as he always has – strong, imposing, magnificent.

I’m betting we never see his like again.