If for reasons he himself did not welcome, Shane Howarth occupies an important position in international rugby for it was largely because of his case that stricter international eligibility regulations were introduced during 2000.

Howarth was an All Black fullback in 1993-94, but after moving to Britain a year or two later he was included in the Wales national side on the basis that he had Welsh grandparentage. In 2000 an investigation by a British newspaper showed that that was not the case and as Howarth had not served a residential qualification he had not really been entitled to have played for Wales.

By then Howarth under his old Auckland coach Graham Henry had been a regular Wales selection for a good three seasons including playing a leading role in the 1999 World Cup. Another New Zealander Brett Sinkinson was found to similarly ineligible. As a result the Wales union was heavily fined by the International Board, Howarth and Sinkinson were banned from selection and subsquently the International Board stipulated that once a player had been an international for one country he could no longer be chosen by another.

That new requirement affected significantly Howarth's native country for up until then there had been considerable, albeit often confusing, interchanges of players between the Pacific island nations and the All Blacks.

But apart from his involvement in the "grannygate" scandal Howarth deserved to be remembered for his considerable competence as a footballer who was skilled not only at fullback but as a first five eighths.

Howarth also showed courage and determination in becoming a leading player. After showing promise as a schoolboy in Auckland Howarth in early 1987 seemed to have lost his chances of a rugby career when he was involved in a serious diving accident which almost left him a pareplegic. But by 1988 he was back in the Auckland colts side and in the next year or two developed further as a member of some crack, star-studded Marist club sides.

In 1990 Howarth was given an All Black trial before he had played for Auckland and that year began a lengthy association with New Zealand Maori sides. He also made the national development side for a tour of Canada that year but had to wait until 1992 before he became a regular first choice for what were then some unusually strong Auckland sides.

With Auckland Howarth was usually the second string goalkicker behind the champion Grant Fox, but in a Ranfurly Shield defence in 1993 against North Otago in Oamaru he received sufficient chances to amass 36 points. Remarkably in the same match wing John Kirwan scored eight tries for a tally of 40 points.

Howarth's good form for Auckland and his consistency with NZ Maori and in national trials won him an All Black place on the end of the year 1993 tour of Scotland and England. He was the fullback understudy to John Timu and failed to make the test lineup, but he performed well in his six matches topping the team's individual scoring with 81 points. In early 1994 he toured again with a development squad, effectively New Zealand A, to Argentina.

Later that year Timu after the two test losses against France was moved back to the wing and Howarth was introduced for the three tests against the Springboks. He enjoyed instant success and in his test debut at Carisbrook, one day after his 26th birthday, kicked 17 points. In the third test he kicked six penalties in the All Blacks' 18-all draw.

Retained for the one-off Bledisloe Cup international in Sydney, Howarth scored a try and kicked 11 points to provide the All Blacks with all their points. But he was also pinpointed as having been a factor in the 16-20 defeat in the opening minute he was beaten in the air when Jason Little scored a shock try. For all his skills and fine qualities Howarth did lack height and also, despite a sevens background, blistering pace.

In 1995 he played in the final trial and for a New Zealand XV against Canada, but was overlooked for the World Cup squad. Midway through the season he made the last of his 62 matches for Auckland and switched to league in Australia before moving onto British rugby.

In 1997 he reappeared in New Zealand appearing three times for the Blues in the Super 12, but by then he had become more established in Britain with the Sale club. Before what turned out to be an ill fated stint with Wales there was speculation he might even play for England.

Profile by Lindsay Knight
for the New Zealand Rugby Museum.

FULL NAME

Shane Paul Howarth

BORN

Monday, 8 July 1968 in Auckland

AGE

42

PHYSICAL

1.72m, 82kg

POSITION

Fullback

LAST SCHOOL

St Peter's College (Auckland)

RUGBY CLUB
(First made All Blacks from)

Auckland Marist

PROVINCE

Auckland

ALL BLACK DEBUT

Tuesday, 26 October 1993
v Midlands at Leicester
aged 25 years, 110 days

INTERNATIONAL DEBUT

Saturday, 9 July 1994
v South Africa at Dunedin
aged 26 years, 1 days

LAST TEST

Wednesday, 17 August 1994
v Australia at Sydney
aged 26 years, 40 days

ALL BLACK TESTS

4 (0 as Captain)

ALL BLACK GAMES

6 (0 as Captain)

TOTAL ALL BLACK MATCHES

10 (0 as Captain)

ALL BLACK TEST POINTS

54pts (1t, 2c, 15p, 0dg, 0m)

ALL BLACK GAME POINTS

81pts (3t, 15c, 12p, 0dg, 0m)

TOTAL ALL BLACK POINTS

135pts (4t, 17c, 27p, 0dg, 0m)

ALL BLACK NUMBER

939

The All Black Games that Howarth played.
(+) = substitute; (-) = replaced

Click on the date to be taken to the Match Card

1993

 26 Oct vs Midlands at Leicester 12-6  

 2 Nov vs England North at Liverpool 27-21  

 10 Nov vs South of Scotland at Galashiels 84-5  

 16 Nov vs Scottish Development XV at Edinburgh 31-12  

 23 Nov vs England Emerging Players at Gloucester 30-19  

 30 Nov vs Combined Services at Plymouth 13-3  

1994

 9 Jul vs South Africa at Dunedin 22-14  

 23 Jul vs South Africa at Wellington 13-9  

 6 Aug vs South Africa at Auckland 18-18  

 17 Aug vs Australia at Sydney 16-20  

Points scored for the All Blacks

t

c

p

dg

pts

vs Midlands, 26 Oct 1993

-

-

2

-

6

vs South of Scotland, 10 Nov 1993

2

9

2

-

34

vs Scottish Development XV, 16 Nov 1993

-

2

4

-

16

vs England Emerging Players, 23 Nov 1993

1

3

2

-

17

vs Combined Services, 30 Nov 1993

-

1

2

-

8

vs South Africa, 9 Jul 1994

-

1

5

-

17

vs South Africa, 23 Jul 1994

-

-

1

-

3

vs South Africa, 6 Aug 1994

-

-

6

-

18

vs Australia, 17 Aug 1994

1

1

3

-

16

Totals

4

17

27

0

135

Test Record by Nation

P

W

D

L

t

c

p

dg

pts

Australia

1

-

-

1

1

1

3

-

16

South Africa

3

2

1

-

-

1

12

-

38

Totals

4

2

1

1

1

2

15

0

54