Dan Carter paid an emotional tribute to Jonah Lomu as the All Black collected the BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year award.
Carter and wife Honor attended the glitzy evening in Belfast after he played for his French club Racing 92 in England over the weekend.
Disappointed at missing Lomu's memorial service at Eden Park as he started his contract with his new club, Carter made up for it at the awards.
"He is an absolute legend of the sport and it was a shock to the people who knew him and the sporting community," Carter said of Lomu, 40, who died suddenly last month.
"He changed the sport forever. I was lucky enough to get to know him - he was such a caring and thoughtful guy, and he will be missed by everyone."
Lomu, the only other New Zealander to collect the gong, won it in 1995 - the year he dominated the Rugby World Cup in South Africa.
Carter was recognised for his superb showings in this year's World Cup. Andy Murray picked up the big award of the night - the BBC Sports Personality of the Year - after helping Great Britain win the Davis Cup tennis title for the first time since 1936.