All Blacks play it canny with Carter's return

Dan Carter may turn out for Canterbury in an effort to regain match fitness. Picture / Getty Images

First-five unlikely to play in Championship but is improving

Dan Carter's return to rugby faces another delay.

The champion first-five had been looking at the All Blacks' trip to Argentina and South Africa later this month as the time to lace the boots up again after breaking his leg during last month's Super Rugby final.

He won't be considered for this Saturday's test match against South Africa in Wellington and All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster said the 32-year-old may soon make a rare provincial appearance for Canterbury to regain his match fitness.

"Dan's tracking really well and I doubt we'll see him in the Rugby Championship," Foster said. "But he's on track but we'll see what happens in the next week or two. But he'll be coming back to play some rugby soon at some stage. So it's just a matter of how we integrate him through. Whether it's through the ITM Cup or whether it's through us.

"So we've got some decisions to make. So we are probably at least a week away from making that decision yet. But he's at the running stage; controlled running. We've just started to introduce a little bit of contact on a controlled basis."

The comforting note for the All Blacks coaching staff is they're stocked with talent at pivot including Aaron Cruden, Beauden Barrett and Colin Slade.

Cruden missed last Saturday's 28-9 victory over Argentina in Napier as Barrett made his first start in the No10 jersey for the All Blacks, while Slade also enjoyed a decent run from the bench against the Pumas.

In years gone by Carter may have been rushed back to action, but with so many options at their disposal, All Blacks management will likely let the 100-test veteran take his time.

Cruden appears likely to return to action this weekend after shaking off the pectoral injury that kept him out of the game against Argentina.

"He's doing a little more testing as we go on through the week but he's on track, which is good news for us," Foster said.

Despite South Africa's wobbles at first-five and their unconvincing displays in this year's Rugby Championship, Foster said they would be a tricky opponent on Saturday.

"When you're playing a top team, the challenges are right across the field and it's a given when you play South Africa that they've got a very strong forward pack, that they're very physical. They carry the ball hard and really test your commitment to stop that; so I don't think that's going to change.

"But they've always showed that ability to move the ball around a little bit, to use that turnover ball and there's a bit more going on in their backs than perhaps what there used to be."

The Springboks also boast a strong lineout that will likely be led by veteran second-rower Victor Matfield. New Zealand will enter the game without key lock Sam Whitelock (ribs) and flanker Liam Messam (quad) who is also a target in the All Blacks' lineout.

"We are pretty comfortable with where we are going in that particular area," Foster said.

"I think we've made some great strides in the last two or three years and we feel that if we just keep focusing on our game, we are going to win more than we lose."