Memorial Service for Jonah Lomu

Jonah Lomu had been a great player for the legendary New Zealand All Blacks rugby team.  He had also joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2012.

After a long illness, he died suddenly of cardiac arrest in November, at the age of forty.

Here is a BBC video from a public memorial service for him, in which other former (and, I think, current) All Blacks perform the haka in his honor:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-34960710

I watched two short videos in quick succession — they’re both here, and the second comes automatically after the first — for a total of just slightly more than two minutes.

The BYU football team, which always has a notable contingent of Pacific Islanders among its players, began a tradition of doing the haka before games a few years ago but was obliged to drop the practice because, I’m told, it was regarded as too intimidating.

Too bad.