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Home / Sport / Rugby / All Blacks

Chris Rattue: Next World Cup will be without Dan Carter

Chris Rattue
By Chris Rattue
Sports Writer·NZ Herald·
15 Feb, 2015 04:00 PM3 mins to read

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Dan Carter's constant injuries make him a dodgy prospect. Photo / Getty Images

Dan Carter's constant injuries make him a dodgy prospect. Photo / Getty Images

Chris Rattue
Opinion by Chris Rattue
Chris Rattue is a Sports Writer for New Zealand's Herald.
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Poor play, another injury tell us the show’s over and it’s time to pass the baton to Cruden.

The date: February the 13th. Time: About 8.45pm. This was the moment I gave up, once and for all, on Dan Carter as a sensible World Cup prospect.

This was also when the All Blacks may have begun to realise Aaron Cruden is the man to steer the World Cup campaign, with supersub Beauden Barrett his back-up. It might even have been the time when Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder realised Carter isn't even his best first five-eighths, let alone the All Blacks'.

At the 56-minute mark, Carter appeared to injure himself. There wasn't another player nearby as yet another body part went snap. The groundsman at AMI Stadium would have done more arduous manoeuvres during the week and landed them safely.

Carter, in his quiet way, tried to scream that he was okay but sorry pal, just can't believe that. It's only a dead leg, Carter reckoned. But he had leg nerve damage problems last year. Join a few dots.

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Carter takes on the Welsh defence during his test debut in Hamilton. The All Blacks won 55-3 with Carter finishing with 20 points. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Carter dives over for his first test try, on debut against Wales. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Carter's 2003 Rugby World Cup headshot. Photo - Fotopress
Carter reaches over for a try against England at Eden Park in 2004. Photo / Dean Purcell
Carter poses for a photocall for the new jockey performance underwear range in 2005. Photo / Alicia Bennett
Jonny Wilkinson tries to tackle Carter during the first test between the All Blacks and the British and Irish Lions at Jade Stadium in 2005. Photo . Chris Skelton.
All Blacks Tana Umaga, Carter and Jerry Collins celebrate the first test win over the British and Irish Lions at Jade Stadium in 2005. Photo / Chris Skelton
Carter in action against the British & Irish Lions, during the 2nd test at Westpac Stadium, Wellington in 2005. One of the finest performances in test rugby. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Carter turns out in a different strip to model a new range of singlets for Canterbury Clothing based Jockey range in 2006. Photo / John McCombe
Carter wears an eye patch during a catching drill, during the All Blacks training session at the 2007 Rugby World Cup. Photo /  Brett Phibbs
Carter leaves the field injured against France at the quarterfinal of the 2007 Rugby World Cup. Photo / Ross Setford
Carter with a video camera mounted on his head gear at the All Blacks rugby training ahead of a 2009 Bledisloe Cup test. Photo / Ross Setford
Carter celebrates scoring his second try against Ireland at Carisbrook in 2010. Photo / Getty Images
All Black coach Graham Henry, assistant coash Steve Hansen, captain Richie McCaw and Carter with the Webb Ellis Cup at the parade in Christchurch, 2011. Photo / Sarah Ivey
Carter keeps a firm grip on the Bledisloe Cup after a test at Eden Park in 2012. Picture / Richard Robinson
Carter performs the haka against the Springboks in 2013. Photo / Getty Images

Image 1 of 16: Carter takes on the Welsh defence during his test debut in Hamilton. The All Blacks won 55-3 with Carter finishing with 20 points. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Carter's injury sagas are so regular they must top any list of things that can derail the Webb Ellis Cup defence. His body is as secure as the Greek economy. There are kindergarten projects glued together better.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen is, naturally, having trouble letting go of a rare rugby legend. But Carter's great big sabbatical is a terrible advert for great big sabbaticals because the revered No10 is as injury-prone as ever.

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Carter can't let go either. He stumbled on in Friday night's game, trying to prove his durability and proving otherwise.

There was talk of a knock to Carter's leg but this is what appeared to happen. He jumped slightly to take a poorly directed pass on his dead ball line, landed in discomfort, couldn't run properly for the next 15 minutes and fluffed a tired attempt at a grubber kick which handed the Rebels victory. He couldn't even kick off properly.

This isn't just about injuries. Up to then, a sluggish, nondescript Carter had contributed a few clinging tackles and shovelled the ball on without threatening the line. In his prime, Carter would have orchestrated victory over an ordinary Rebels side. Instead, this team from Aussie Rules territory humiliated the Crusaders and their No10.

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Blackadder's reticence when it comes to replacing Carter is a metaphor for the All Blacks' dilemma.

The shadow of Carter and his intermittent appearances will undermine Cruden's rhythm, confidence and authority. Cruden's game, including goalkicking, can improve immensely if put under the blowtorch again and again.

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Even if timing sees Carter fit for World Cup selection, he'll break down on the day.

Cruden needs to know he's good enough to do this on his own, without the finest No10 who ever played buzzing around as a waterboy. In case the All Blacks haven't noticed, the rest of world rugby is catching up and trying to retain the World Cup on reputations is courting disaster.

Carter isn't the most exhilarating first-five I've seen: the side-stepping Phil Bennett of Wales would probably win that category, with the wondrous Wallaby Stephen Larkham also in contention. But Carter is the finest overall - the real Dan Carter, that is, the one who isn't coming back.

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