14: Jonah Lomu

LOMU FACTFILE Born: 12/5/75 Nationality: New Zealand Position: Wing Caps: 63 Debut: v France 26/6/94

Jonah Lomu is the very essence of the World Cup.

At the age of 20 he burst onto the international scene with a series of breathtaking performances to take New Zealand to the World Cup final in 1995.

His defining moment came when he nonchalantly ran in four tries in the semi-final against England, mowing down any defenders who dared get in his way.

After the tournament his career fell away because of a kidney problem but he bounced back in stylish fashion four years on.

He resurfaced at the 1999 World Cup in England, scoring eight tries in five games.

Despite topping the try-scoring charts for a second successive tournament, he failed to make it to the final when the All Blacks were stunned by France in the semi-finals.

Whether he recaptures his best form remains to be seen but, at his peak, Lomu is one of the most exciting players in the world game.

His combination of speed and power have rarely been equalled, let alone bettered.