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."
