NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • Deloitte Fast 50
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / Rugby / All Blacks

All Blacks: Carter seeks perfect game

By Mark Geenty
NZPA·
20 Nov, 2009 03:00 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Jonny Wilkinson (inset) says Dan Carter is as near to rugby perfection as he has seen. Photos / Getty Images

Jonny Wilkinson (inset) says Dan Carter is as near to rugby perfection as he has seen. Photos / Getty Images

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

As he sits one point off Andrew Mehrtens' All Blacks test rugby point-scoring record, Dan Carter still seeks the perfect game.

Westpac Stadium against the Lions in 2005 still stands as a benchmark, the last time he and his English sparring partner tomorrow, Jonny Wilkinson, went head to head.

In
five All Blacks tests against England since that Lions series, Charlie Hodgson and Toby Flood have shared the pivot's duties against Carter as Wilkinson battled an array of injuries.

So, against a player he rates one of his favourite opponents, Carter feels he can switch it up another level at Twickenham.

There's also the annoyance of coming off a one-match ban for a high tackle which blemished his perfect record of never having fronted a rugby judiciary.

"If anything, that makes me more motivated this weekend. I'm fresh and ready to go," he said as an array of British tape recorders hung on his every word at the All Blacks' Kensington hotel.

After the 19-12 win over Wales in Cardiff, Carter sits on 966 points from 64 tests. From the kicking tee in Tokyo and Cardiff he's 13 from 13 on tour so far.

The 27-year-old was named man of the match at Millennium Stadium to a chorus of boos after his tackle on halfback Martin Roberts.

It was hardly a hangable offence, and his tactical kicking all over the park had earlier given the All Blacks a stranglehold on the test that they couldn't drive home for a decisive win.

"I was happy with the way I played in Wales but I still think I can play better this weekend," he said.

"I want to continue with my running game. I showed little signs of that there, but a lot goes into that, with the forwards getting front foot ball then I really want to keep steering them around the paddock; keep working on my vision and attacking where the space is."

With some of his teammates starting to feel the effects of a marathon season, Carter maintains the achilles tendon layoff which cut short his French sojourn was a blessing.

Like Wilkinson, who made his long-awaited comeback against Australia after a move to France, he felt refreshed and with still more to offer for the England and France tests.

But Carter said the crucial forward battle would determine any bragging rights this weekend.

"He [Wilkinson] poses a real threat and you just love coming up against guys you admire and respect," Carter said.

"That's a great strength of his game, his physicality. He's always going to give 100 per cent and put his body on the line.

"We've got some big boys and physicality is going to be a big aspect this weekend. They've picked some big ball carriers and we really have to match that and be physical." The mutual admiration society between the pair was strong this week. Wilkinson, a picture of calm at England's five-star Penny Hill retreat at Bagshot, rated Carter the most skilful rugby player of any position, ever.

In a nutshell, Wilkinson said Carter was as near to rugby perfection as he'd seen.

"He's smart, he's switched on and he's obviously a deep enough character to take on things like big injuries, and to challenge himself by moving to France.

"He's got the personality and the character and the skills and without a doubt he's got the faith of his team."

Wilkinson claimed he was oblivious to the intense media criticism of England and their coach Martin Johnson after last weekend's 16-9 win over Argentina.

He's been there before and tasted victory over the All Blacks in 2003, and said they were never seen as invincible.

- NZPA

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save
    Share this article

Latest from All Blacks

All Blacks

All Blacks veteran taking Japan sabbatical, re-signs beyond World Cup

Premium
OpinionPaul Lewis

Paul Lewis: French did the All Blacks a real favour but still questions remain

OpinionLiam Napier

Q&A: Our rugby expert answers readers' questions on All Blacks


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from All Blacks

All Blacks veteran taking Japan sabbatical, re-signs beyond World Cup
All Blacks

All Blacks veteran taking Japan sabbatical, re-signs beyond World Cup

Anton Lienert-Brown will join Ardie Savea on a Japan sabbatical next year.

22 Jul 11:00 PM
Premium
Premium
Paul Lewis: French did the All Blacks a real favour but still questions remain
Paul Lewis
OpinionPaul Lewis

Paul Lewis: French did the All Blacks a real favour but still questions remain

22 Jul 01:20 AM
Q&A: Our rugby expert answers readers' questions on All Blacks
Liam Napier
OpinionLiam Napier

Q&A: Our rugby expert answers readers' questions on All Blacks

22 Jul 01:09 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP