But the great and the good paid tribute to him.The former New Zealand hooker Eric Rush's tale was typical. "The first time I played against Jonah's team, I saw this beast running at me. I thought he was still wearing his sunglasses, but it turned out to be his nostrils flaring."Rob Andrew, the former England fly-half, one of the guests at the dinner, said: "I have a fantastic photo of Jonah in full flight. I am horizontal to the ground, my arms out-stretched, trying to touch the great man. It was a privilege to play against him and I would like to thank him for choosing to run around me."Despite the lack of mirth after Lomu's appearance it was heartening to learn of the good work the players' organisation is doing in trying to look after rugby players who have been injured. An auction and raffle alone at the dinner raised around A$125,000 (£53,000) and it will go a long way to helping the many players around the world whose careers have been curtailed by illness and injury.To see one of the game's mightiest men so reduced by illness, was a sobering reminder of the thin margins between sporting triumph and personal survival..

If England win the World Cup today, it will not make Jonny Wilkinson a millionaire He is one already. If they topple the Wallabies and wrestle the William Webb Ellis trophy from Australia's grasp, Wilkinson will not suddenly find himself a sporting icon He is one already. He is one already. Yet England's stand-off and pin-up boy of half the nation's schoolgirls, will still find his life will never be the same. Because, says the former South African No 10 Joel Stransky, he will suddenly become public property.Stransky should know.

He can tell you the precise moment and exact location where his life changed forever. It was at Ellis Park, Johannesburg, on Saturday afternoon, 24 June, 1995. Five minutes before the end of extra-time, South Africa and New Zealand were locked at 12-all in the World Cup final. The destiny of the Cup was on a knife-edge; the South African President, Nelson Mandela, was among the vast crowd scarcely daring to look.Stransky received a straightforward pass from the forwards, but had already decided what to do. From 35 metres, he dropped a soaring goal that won the Cup for his country."You become public property, your life does change," Stransky says. "The media focus that comes with a country winning the World Cup is enormous, more so today than in 1995. You cannot go out on the street without people coming up to you, and wanting to talk about it or congratulate you.