By DAVID LEGGAT
Wing
Age: 24
Height: 1.85m
Weight: 92kg
NPC team: Auckland
Super 12: Blues
Super 12 games: 65
Test debut: 2000
Test caps: 31
Since making his test debut against Tonga at Albany in 2000, Howlett could not be accused of failing to make his mark.
He bagged two tries that
night as the All Blacks rattled up a century of points and, as the disc jockeys are wont to say, the hits just kept on coming.
Howlett grabbed tries in each of his next six tests and he has kept up a first-rate tries-to-game ratio.
Blessed with searing speed, given room to move he is near unstoppable.
The result is his 31 tests have produced 24 tries.
Howlett did drop into a trough in his last five tests, failing to cross the line once, but mustn't grumble, his new wingmate Joe Rokocoko was celebrating life in the big time with a swag on the other flank.
He first played for Auckland while at secondary school.
He was the youngest Super 12 debutant at 18 years 230 days, and picked up three tries on his full starting debut a week later.
Howlett equalled Joeli Vidiri's Super 12 record of 10 tries in a season for the Blues last year, and beat it this year.
The All Blacks backline is made up of a variety of components.
Where Aaron Mauger provides the cool head, Tana Umaga the power and muscle and Carlos Spencer the exhilaration to the All Blacks backline, Howlett is synonymous with excitement.
With the ability to make space and take his chances, it's no wonder the New Zealand TAB lists the flying winger as joint favourite to end the cup as top tryscorer at $5.
Alongside who you might ask?
Why Rokocoko, of course.
