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09:39 AEST Fri Nov 23 2007
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All Blacks first five-eighth Daniel Carter will give consideration to playing in rugby's English Premiership after next year.
Carter, 25, has one year left on his contract with the New Zealand Rugby Union and told Britain's Sky Sports News that when it expires he will "make a decision on where I want my career to head".
In the immediate aftermath of the All Blacks' quarterfinal elimination from the World Cup last month, Carter indicated he was leaning strongly towards staying in New Zealand until the next tournament.
However, his latest comments suggest an overseas contract is a realistic possibility.
"I really enjoy playing over here (in England) - there are great crowds and great people," Carter said.
"It's something I'm going to have to have a good think about as I consider where I want my career to head. But it's definitely on the cards for the future."
Such a move would make Carter ineligible for the All Blacks.
Last month Carter said he was keen to be a player to build a new-look team around going into the 2011 World Cup hosted by New Zealand.
"This black jersey means more to me than anything else. I'm keen to hang around and make the most of these next few years."
Already this year several high-profile All Blacks have left for England - including lock Chris Jack, prop Carl Hayman and second five-eighths Aaron Mauger and Luke McAlister.
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Does Carter not see himself in the ABs jersey in 2011? There has been a lot of talk about how he hasn't really recaptured the form of the past recently.
Writing of his chances of a RWC victory early if he does leave NZ and not return.
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Gigsa made me do it
"He who conquers others is strong; he who conquers himself is mighty." – Lao Tzu
another ship jumper (show me the money)
The cars are more fun in Pomistan![]()
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Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.
i'd say another one leaving the sinking ship, but the ship has already sunk hahaha![]()
Why not see out his year at the Crusaders, then have a 2-year stint in England (during which he'll earn enough money to buy up half of NZ) and then have a year back in NZ before RWC2011. Simple really!
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Well, there is only two ways they are going to stop this - make SH rugby commercially competitive with the NH (best plan, but a big ask and won't happen overnight) and/or rule o/s players out of contention even after they return (hard to do, but in this instance were Brett and the like stand up....)
Carter: World Cup pressure scaring players away
Monday, 26 November 2007
First five-eighth Daniel Carter says the "burden" of winning a World Cup is driving some All Blacks out of New Zealand, while he remains torn over whether to spend a year in England himself.
Carter is contracted to the New Zealand Rugby Union until the end of 2008 but indicated he remained committed to playing at the 2011 World Cup.
Whether he tastes some short-term action in Europe before then remains to be seen.
"The All Blacks have always meant everything to me. It is what I've wanted since the age of four or five. That hasn't changed," Carter said in a wide-ranging feature in The Times newspaper.
"Whether I come over here for a year, or stick around New Zealand for another four years, that's one of those decisions I will have to make."
Carter, who is on a promotional visit to London, understood why several of his World Cup teammates had opted to leave for England, with the expectations that come with being an All Blacks a negative to some.
"Since winning in '87, we have been expected to win every other World Cup," Carter said.
"That becomes quite a burden, a real weight on your shoulders. There's always that pressure and it is part of the reason some of the guys come over here.
"They play over here for a club. You might play more games than you would play in a New Zealand season, but it is more structured.
"You play for one team, week in, week out, and you are allowed to concentrate on that. In New Zealand, you play for three or four teams, the standard changes but you must always play well."
Carter spoke openly about what went wrong in New Zealand's 18-20 World Cup quarterfinal loss to France last month, agreeing his team didn't respond well when the pressure went on in the second half.
He said the All Blacks' attack narrowed when second five-eighth Luke McAlister was sent to the sinbin early in the second half, which wasn't their natural game.
"Because we did that, we made it easier for the French to defend against us. Luke came back on and we didn't change our game plan," Carter said.
"We got our second try from a series of close-in drives but the French defended a lot tighter after that and we needed to change it, but we didn't."
Carter missed the closing stages after limping off with a recurrence of a calf injury and admitted his teammates should have attempted a dropped goal.
"This is something we could learn from the England side, and other teams over here. They have set plays for drop goals," he said.
"That's a big part of the game over here, whereas you go to the Super 14 and you will probably see two drop goals in the whole competition.
"We practise drop-goal routines but it's not part of our culture. In the situation we were in, it would have been the most appropriate thing to do."
Carter revealed that when the team returned to their hotel after the loss he disappeared to his bedroom but couldn't sleep.
He was woken at 4.30am by teammates Chris Masoe and Ali Williams who told him to rejoin them for a beer.
Carter, 25, said the loss was an enormous personal learning experience after an international career that had been "plain sailing" until then.
"I thought it would continue like that but it didn't. Looking back, I can see I was vulnerable. Not having had a bad experience beforehand, I hadn't a chance to learn from it," Carter said.
"It wasn't arrogance, it was just that I hadn't the benefit of what comes from a huge loss. I hadn't played in the 2003 semifinal (loss to Australia).
"As long as I learn from this, I think things will be fine." - NZPA