'On the bus wondering why I'm still playing' - Dan Carter shares his doubts after coming back from neck surgery
He’s been playing professional rugby since 2002 but Dan Carter admitted he still had nerves on the team bus as he began his season with Japanese side Kobelco Steelers in the weekend.
Carter returned from neck surgery to play his first match in 12 months as the Steelers opened the Top League season with a 50-16 over the Canon Eagles.
The match also marked the first for All Blacks lock Brodie Retallick during his Japanese sabbatical, and he managed to cross over for a try.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B7OXiWbAjn3/
Carter, who was MVP in his last season for the Steelers, shared a video on social media after the win admitting he had nerves before the encounter.
“First competitive game in over 12 months,” he said.
“I was a little bit nervous to be honest. Going into that game on the bus wondering why I’m still playing, full of nerves. But when the game started, and even more so now the game has finished, I remember why I love this game so much. Really happy to be back playing again.
“The neck feels good. The head is still on shoulders which is good.
Carter scored a try and bagged a personal tally of 20 points after kicking and early penalty and six conversions.
Carter wasn’t the only former All Black to run out this weekend, with All Black lock Brodie Retallick joining Carter at Kobe who also scored an 80th-minute try in his debut.
Recent captain Kieran Read made his debut for Toyota Verbitz but his side went down 31-29 to Yamaha Jubilo. Springbok fullback Willie Le Roux opened the scoring for Toyota but Yamaha proved to be too strong.
Ryan Crotty debuted for Kubota Spears in the midfield against Robbie Deans’ Panasonic Wild Knights, who featured Sam Whitelock and David Pocock. Panasonic ran eventual winners 34-11 with Japan’s World Cup hero Kenki Fukuoka scoring a double.
Former All Blacks Matt Todd, Richard Kahui, former Crusaders’ halfback Jack Stratton and midfielder Tim Bateman were involved in an upset for Toshiba over the powerhouse Suntory Sungoliath featuring an Australian midfield with Samu Kerevi and Matt Giteau.
Kerevi scored a try while former Highlanders’ winger Tevita Li scored one and kicked goals for Suntory.
Liam Squire powered the Red Hurricanes to a win over Mitsubishi, scoring a double and the match-winning try to break a 24-all deadlock with just three minutes remaining. Marty Banks kicked the conversion to secure a 31-24 victory.
This article first appeared on the NZ Herald and is republished here with further commentary.
Inside the Barbarians:
Comments on RugbyPass
Except 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.
33 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
33 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
33 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.
33 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. 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.
33 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.
33 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.
1 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.
33 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 commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to comments