Dan Carter has called time on his rugby career of two decades, a career that included two World Cups, 112 tests and a record number of points. Photos / Photosport, Getty Images
Dan Carter has called time on his rugby career of two decades, a career that included two World Cups, 112 tests and a record number of points. Photos / Photosport, Getty Images
Dan Carter, perhaps the greatest No 10 to ever play the game, has decided to hang up his boots.
To celebrate the All Black legend's almost two-decade long career, here are 10 of his best and most memorable moments on the field.
2003: A future star
Carter announced himself tothe world with two tries on his Crusaders debut. The first came from a chargedown, but his second – a breakaway from inside his own half – showed his class. He initially started at first-five in place of his rugby hero Andrew Mehrtens, before getting moved to No 12 after 20 minutes when Mehrtens came on for injured centre Nathan Mauger. He managed to showcase not just his attacking ability but also his versatility and defensive steel throughout the game.
Carter made his All Blacks debut at just 21 years old, scoring 20 points in a dominant win against a poor Welsh side. While Carter was still far from the finished product – his kicking was still particularly hit-and-miss – he was still dangerous on attack, switching at times seamlessly from first-five to No 12.
2005: Crusaders eat up Sharks
Dan Carter makes a break against the Sharks. Photo / Photosport
The Crusaders absolutely demolished the Sharks 77-34 in Christchurch in the then-named Super 12, and Carter was everywhere on the pitch. He kicked the scoring off in the first minute and slotted a perfect seven conversions before Mehrtens took over kicking duties.
2005: Near perfection
This was Carter's masterpiece. His near-flawless game in the All Blacks' 48-18 win over the British and Irish Lions is still considered as one of the best performances by a No 10 in the sport's history, with the then 23-year-old scoring 33 of his side's 48 points. The win also helped the All Blacks clinch the series. Former Lions winger Ieuan Evans called it "one of the greatest all-round performances anyone's ever seen". Carter still looks back fondly on that day, telling Sky Sports UK last year: "You're always striving for the perfect game. For me, that was probably the closest I got in my 112 test matches for the All Blacks. You'll never say that you've played the perfect game … but that was as close as I got."
2006: 'Gorillas in the Mist'
Dan Carter kicks a goal in the fog. Photo / Photosport
Who can forget the infamous Super Rugby foggy final? Carter was on a tear that year, finishing the season with 221 points in 14 games for the Crusaders. But his most important contribution that season came in the final, where he scored 14 of the Crusaders' 19 points against the Hurricanes. Too bad no one could actually see what was happening.
2007: Boomerang kick
Carter was on a perfect three for three against the Highlanders when he had a difficult conversion attempt on the left side of the field – a tricky kick for a left-footer. Carter lined it up, struck it and it looked initially like he had pulled it way right. But the ball quickly curved back perfectly to somehow go through the posts. The commentators at the time were left speechless, with Grant Nisbett eventually letting out a stunned "goodness gracious". The kick still lives on in TikToks and YouTube highlight reels to this day.
Dan Carter laughs after beating Australia. Photo / Photosport
On 27 November 2010, Carter became the highest test point scorer of all time, beating England's Jonny Wilkinson's previous record of 1178. It came from a penalty from halfway no less! Wilkinson would retake the record in 2011 but Carter was far from finished, ending his test career on 1598 points. An absolute points machine.
2011: Sharks destroyed again
Just a few weeks after the February Christchurch earthquake, Carter put on a show for Cantabrians back home against the Sharks – again. The Crusaders played some brilliant rugby to claim the 44-28 win in London, with Carter leading the way in a masterclass – scoring a try, creating several more, and kicking five conversions and three penalties.
2015: Goodbye NZ
Ma'a Nonu and Dan Carter with the Bledisloe Cup. Photo / Photosport
The ever-understated Carter said his final test in New Zealand – a Bledisloe Cup decider against the Wallabies – felt "the same as every other week to be honest". "Just a real sense of pride," he continued, "wanting to make the most out of this opportunity. I just wanted to go out there and do whatever it takes." And he sure did, showing that he still had it with a commanding display while contributing 16 of the All Blacks' 41 points in the Wallabies thrashing.
2015: Still got it
After Carter missed the 2011 World Cup final through injury, he was left with one last chance to play at the sport's biggest stage in 2015 against Australia. The pressure was on, with some columnists claiming that he should've been dropped. But Carter stepped up and proved his doubters wrong, basically putting the All Blacks on his back in a man of the match performance to claim the Webb Ellis trophy for the second time. He even took his final conversion of the night with his right foot. What a legend.
