All Blacks great Jonah Lomu will be buried on December 1.

Lomu’s funeral will take place on December 1, with plans afoot to host a public memorial to the former All Black great at Eden Park.

The funeral plans were announced outside Lomu’s Auckland home by former All Blacks coach Hart.

The Lomu family friend said Lomu had gone to bed the night before his death appearing to be in perfect health.

“He’d had cardiac arrest, clearly related to his kidney condition,” Hart said at the press conference.

“It’s just one of those things that took a great man from us.”

Earlier Lomu’s family said that a global outpouring of grief after the hulking winger’s shock death this week was helping them through “an incredibly difficult time”.

Lomu, who had chronic kidney disease, died unexpectedly at his Auckland home on Wednesday aged just 40, leaving a wife and two young sons.

Tributes for him have come not only from the rugby world but also Hollywood stars, politicians and the many charities he supported.

Lomu’s father-in-law Mervyn Quirk said the messages of support were a comfort to the family of the man hailed as rugby union’s first global superstar.

“We wish to thank all the people who have expressed their sympathies for our family at this incredibly difficult time,” he said in a statement.

“We are truly touched by the outpouring of love for Jonah and the support for our family.

“While we grieve for a husband, father, son, brother and good mate, we know that many people in New Zealand and around the world are mourning a very special individual.” Quirk said funeral arrangements for Lomu were yet to be finalised but there would be a celebration of his achievements “during an all too short time on this Earth”.

It came as Lomu’s mother Hepi broke down in tears when it was mentioned during the press conference that it was her birthday.

Hart revealed Lomu’s widow Nadene is also struggling to deal with the rugby star’s passing, with the suddenness of his death shocking the entire family.