'I had one of my worst performances in the black jersey': Dan Carter's post-Lions lesson
Former All Black first five-eighth Dan Carter had to bid his time when he first joined the side, learning under the two prominent 10s of that generation in Carlos Spencer and Andrew Mehrtens.
Carter’s first 11 starts with the All Blacks were at second five-eighth wearing the 12 jersey, with a handful of bench appearances at 10 behind the experienced pair.
Speaking with Jason Pine on Newstalk ZB’s DRS promoting his new book 1598, Carter attributed much of his success as an international 10 down to the fact that he spent his first year and a half in test rugby playing in the midfield, a position he also played with the Crusaders.
“I put a lot of my success in the 10 jersey down to the fact that I did play 12 for the first year and a half of my international career,” Carter explained on the DRS.
“Playing alongside the likes of Carlos Spencer, Andrew Mehrtens, was two completely different number 10s. I felt like I was able to learn the best from those two.
“When my time came on the end of season tour in 2004, I felt like I was ready even though I couldn’t believe the coaches had left out a couple of these legends and put so much faith in a young little 22-year-old.
“But I was able to learn so much from those two, so a lot of my success comes down to learning from the best.”
Carter went on to help the All Blacks to three wins over Italy, Wales and France on the 2004 tour, scoring 19, 11 and 25 points in those games as the starting first five. Although few at the time would have realised what the Cantabrian would go on to achieve.
Just eight months later the British & Irish Lions would tour New Zealand where Carter announced his potential to the world, but it was on that November tour where Carter was already feeling at home.
He insisted it was the first game against Italy where he settled in and became comfortable playing 10 for the All Blacks.
“No, it was almost right from my first test match. I still remember it, it was against Italy in Italy. I was extremely nervous I felt like there was a new sense of responsibility for me and my game,” he said.
“But as soon as the game started, I thrived on that, I absolutely loved that pressure and that ability to have more control of the game, to be making the decisions. You make a lot more in the 10 jersey than one place out.
“I knew from that moment that was the position that I wanted to continue for the rest of my career. It was a great learning process leading up to there, but as soon as I got a chance to put on the 10 jersey it felt home straight away.
Carter became a household name in the rugby world with his 33-point haul in Wellington against the British & Irish Lions in the second test, which put him on the map globally as a rising star of the game at 23-years-old.
He said it was a ‘very special game’ that put the world on notice to what he was capable of, but he soon learnt that the spotlight comes with added pressure to perform.
“It was a pretty special moment, a very special game. I think if anything it put me on the world stage a little bit more, probably not many international rugby supporters had heard of me,” he said.
“After a series like that, and a game like that in the second test match a lot more people in the global rugby circles, all of a sudden knew about me and what I was capable of.
“With things like that comes added pressure. There’s that expectation that every time you put on the jersey after that game, that you are expected to play at that level. That’s something that I had to learn to deal with.
“In the end, I actually thrived on it, which was something I actually needed.
Clinching the Lions series in Wellington meant Carter had won his first six starts as the All Blacks flyhalf, but he then missed the third and final test match of the Lions tour as Luke McAllister debuted.
His next start was against the Springboks in Cape Town which Carter called a ‘reality check’ as he was soon ‘brought back down to Earth’. The All Blacks were beaten 22-16 in a game Carter described as ‘one of his worst’ for the All Blacks.
“There was a good reality check. If you look through the book, I had that fantastic night in Wellington, the second test match against the Lions and my next test was in South Africa and I was brought right back down to Earth,” he recalled.
South Africa raced out to a 13-0 lead before the 10-minute mark after two penalty goals and a Jean de Villiers intercept try. A try to Rico Gear brought the All Blacks within touching distance by halftime behind 13-16, but they couldn’t cut the deficit as Percy Montgomery landed two more penalty goals.
“I had one of my worst performances in the black jersey. It was a great learning for me that when you do have fantastic games, you actually need to go through this process to have consistency and try to get to that level each week.
“I wasn’t able to do that on that occasion.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar 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.
11 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 comments