Big Jonah's Fighting Fit.

On a wonderfully warm day in Paris yesterday I sat high in the Stade de France stands surveying the Heineken Cup final in one of the world's greatest stadia, but the icing on the cake was bumping into Jonah Lomu, a man I would almost call a friend of mine. Jonah and I go back quite a long way, an association founded on the day in Hyde Park when we had a one on one tackling session. It became very serious because by fluke - my hand stopped his boot from landing in my face and brought him down - I tackled him at the first attempt. Jonah was far from amused by this and insisted we did it again, and again, and again, until I resembled Tom the cat from "Tom and Jerry" having been run over by a bulldozer. A year later I spent the day with Jonah down in the mean, drug-ridden neighbourhoods of South Auckland in New Zealand re-living his troubled childhood. Whenever we see each other there is always a big bear hug from the legendary All Black who rampaged all over England in the 1995 World Cup semi-final and at home I have his autobiography with a personalised message from the great man. After all his health problems I am pleased to say that Jonah is fighting fit and looking in terrific shape. The world of sport should rejoice at this because Jonah is one of a very few who could empty the bars whenever he got his big paws on a rugby ball. On top of this the man is genuinely a top bloke as well. So, good on you Jonah, and English rugby most definitely forgives you for all the pain you meted out to it.