Rush is a Number Eight who does all the little things well – his control at the base, accuracy at set piece and ability to get the team on the front foot are all pillars of the Blues attack.

And 2004 saw Rush return to the All Blacks for the first time in six years - he had just celebrated his 21st birthday when he was called on to make his Test debut at the back-end of a disappointing 1998 Test season.

Unfortunately his prospects of retention the following year disintegrated as the Blues struggled, although he has subsequently re-emerged from a period out of the spotlight as a commanding presence leading successful Auckland and Blues teams.

Rush has shown leadership qualities from an early age and is a former age-group skipper of both the New Zealand Under-19s and Under-21s.

He was first selected for the Blues by current All Blacks coach Graham Henry in 1997 before he'd even played for the national Under-21s and he was called on to make his Test debut in 1998.

His sister Annaleah, who played 20 Tests for the Black Ferns between 1996 and 2002, appeared in the curtain raiser the night he made his Test debut.

Appointed Auckland captain in 2001, Rush led the province to back to back success in the NPC in 2002 and 2003, winning the Ranfurly Shield as well in '03.

He led the Blues to their first Super 12 success in six seasons in 2003.