Dan Carter linked to shock return to Super Rugby - but not for the Crusaders
The rumour mill is in overdrive in New Zealand with strong suggestions that former All Blacks star Dan Carter has signed for the Blues. The Auckland-based franchise are thought to have been in talks with Carter for some time and a foot injury to Stephen Perofeta in training this week may have fast-tracked the chance to sign the veteran on a replacement contract for the Super Rugby Aotearoa competition.
The new all-New Zealand tournament starts next week, with the Blues hosting the Hurricanes at Eden Park on June 14 in their opening match after the regular Super Rugby tournament was cancelled in March due to the coronavirus pandemic outbreak.
Carter is a free agent after finishing his playing commitments with Japanese club Kobe Steelers after the season there was also cancelled due to the pandemic and he has since returned to Auckland with his family.
The 38-year-old was in fine form in Japan during recent seasons and his motives for potentially joining the Blues are said to be giving back to New Zealand rugby by sharing his knowledge and experience in the swansong of his career.
Signing Carter, the dual World Cup winner and three-time World Rugby player of the year, as a replacement player would allegedly also only cost the Blues $1,800 per week.
The Blues are expected to hand star recruit Beauden Barrett the playmaking reins for their opening match of the Super Rugby Aotearoa competition, but they also have Otere Black, who was a major factor in steering the team to five wins from seven games before the season shutdown.
Carter’s surprise presence would be the icing on the playmaking cake, giving the Blues depth beyond their wildest dreams, especially in a New Zealand derby competition that promises to be brutally combative.
The sight of Carter pulling on a Blues jersey is unlikely to sit well with staunch Crusaders supporters, though. Carter played 141 games for the Crusaders, winning three Super Rugby titles before shifting north after calling time on his illustrious Test career following the 2015 World Cup.
Speaking recently to Ireland’s Johnny Sexton, Carter suggested players could now push their careers into their 40s. “Using this time off, it’s something you don’t get as a professional rugby player. Having two or three months, maybe it’s going to be much longer, of not having that constant grind, that contact.
“So it is like a mini-sabbatical. I was very fortunate to have a couple through my career, but if it’s used wisely the young players that have been playing heavily for the past four or five seasons, it’s perfect timing.
“Then you look at the other side of the spectrum with more experienced players like yourself [Sexton], you don’t get many opportunities like this. So, if it’s used wisely and you keep training, and as long as your motivation upstairs is still there, I can’t see why you can’t play longer than potentially you thought you might, with having a break like this.
“Obviously, there is some pretty exciting rugby around the corner over the next couple of years, so I told Maro (Itoje, last week’s guest) that I expect him to still be playing when he’s 38 years old, like myself, and with you having a break like this then you can probably push through to the 40s. So, I’m looking forward to seeing that.”
Carter potentially joining the Blues would leave New Zealand rugby stacked with world-class playmakers – a line-up that includes Barrett, Richie Mo’unga at the Crusaders and Aaron Cruden, who was in superb form with the Chiefs after returning from France.
The Blues did not respond to requests for a comment.
"He’d raise his eyebrows, he’d do the old look and you’d know something was coming. He’d just tell you to be ready."
Playing alongside Carlos Spencer in his prime was as scary as it was exciting, former @AllBlacks wing Joe Rokocoko told @TomVinicombe.https://t.co/vHK8ks9VCI
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 3, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to comments