Wallabies rugby loose forward David Pocock has penned a heartfelt Instagram tribute to late All Blacks great Jonah Lomu.
Pocock, who has a reputation as one of his sport's more honourable characters, posted a recollection of his first meeting with the giant All Blacks wing, and another subsequent, on his social media pages.
In a post he tagged #motivationmonday the 55-test Wallaby wrote about the admiration he had for the blockbusting All Black who died in 2015 from a heart attack after spending a big chunk of his life battling kidney problems.
"As a teenager I caught the bus into the Brisbane CBD hours early to queue up for Jonah's book signing in the hope of meeting the great man and getting my copy of his book signed," Pocock wrote on his Instagram account.
The Brumbies and Wallaby loose forward included a photo of himself as a fresh-faced teen with Lomu at the signing and also one of the All Blacks special message inside his copy of the book.
"I started reading the book on the bus home, and didn't put it down," continued Pocock. "I found his honesty about his struggles, and what it had taken to do all that he did, inspirational. I had a LOT of nerves before games and remember thinking 'if Jonah Lomu is nervous before games then it's OK for me to be nervous too!' It really changed the way I thought about pre-game nerves and being 'ready'.
"Like so many other kids, I'd grown up marvelling at his athleticism and the way he carved up (or ran over) defenders. Jonah Lomu Rugby on the Sega Mega Drive was the game of choice in the Pocock household."⠀
Pocock went on to relate a second meeting he had with Lomu that left almost as much impact.
"At the 2011 Rugby World Cup Robbie Deans organised for Jonah to come and talk to the team. He was humble and down-to-earth, staying to have dinner with us and answering guys' questions. After a bit of pestering, he even took Digby Ioane for a spin in his hotted-up car."
Pocock's final words summed up the tone of his tribute perfectly.⠀
"We lost a great man in 2015 but I remain grateful for the inspiration he provided me and so many others around the world, both through his skill and his humility and honesty."⠀