With a strike-rate of 34 tries in 45 Tests, Howlett has quickly established himself as one of the best wingers ever to have worn the black jersey.

The frightening thing is that most good judges believe the Auckland flier's best deeds are still to come.

One of only two players to feature in all 11 All Black Tests in 2002, Howlett crossed the line seven times to finish as the team's leading try-scorer.

He also topped the try-scoring charts for the Blues and Auckland, where his tally was equal with the best in the first division of the NPC.

He first played for Auckland while he was at secondary school and was the youngest player ever in Super 12 on debut at age 18 years, 230 days. He then scored three tries on his run-on debut a week later.

Out-and-out speed is Howlett's trademark, and at 26 he is now one of the veterans of the All Blacks and Blues backlines.

The hard fast tracks of Super 12 rugby suit Howlett down to the ground and he equalled Joeli Vidiri's franchise record of 10 tries in a season in the Super 12 for the Blues in 2002 and then beat it in 2003 with 12.

Howlett's two tries against Wales at the 2003 Rugby World Cup saw him become the fifth All Black to reach 30 Test tries after Christian Cullen, Jeff Wilson, Lomu and John Kirwan.

Howlett was nominated as a finalist for the International Rugby Players' Association's player of the year award in 2003.

While still at school he won national titles in the 100m (10.8s) and the 100m hurdles.