Watch: Possible All Black debutant fends off 30-Test midfielder in the NPC

After having an exceptional season for the Chiefs in Super Rugby Pacific 2025, former All Blacks Sevens superstar Leroy Carter has continued where he left off, starting the Bunnings NPC competition with a hiss and a roar.

Carter, who scored nine tries for the Chiefs in 2025, played centre for Bay Of Plenty against Tasman on Sunday, where he came up against 30-Test All Black David Havili in midfield.

Bay Of Plenty ran away winners 37-7 at Tauranga Domain over Tasman, in one of the most anticipated games of the first round of the Bunnings NPC last weekend.

It didn’t take long for Carter to make an impact with the ball in hand in the second half, scoring a superb try on the back of some solid work by the home side’s forward pack.

Carter burst through a small gap in the Tasman defence, after putting a big fend on Havili, getting enough space to run away and score the try close to the posts.

Carter showed pace, strength, and quality to score the try for Bay Of Plenty, even in a position where he doesn’t have too much experience in.

This versatility could be key for the All Blacks in coming years, with the likes of Rieko Ioane and Anton Lienert-Brown taking sabbaticals in the near future.

The 26-year-old winger was named in Scott Robertson’s wider squad for the All Blacks in the Rugby Championship, as injury cover for Caleb Clarke who is nursing that lower leg injury he picked up before the second Test match against France in Wellington.

Carter will have a chance to debut in the first two Test matches of the Rugby Championship, as Clarke won’t travel to Argentina as he recovers from that lower leg injury.

It wasn’t an ideal situation for Crusaders captain Havili, who will be trying hard to impress All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson for a spot on the end-of-year tour.

Havili didn’t have his best game, and has once again missed out on selection for the latest All Blacks squad, this time for The Rugby Championship starting next weekend.

Havili, who is an experienced option for Robertson, will have to keep playing at a high level in the Bunnings NPC competition if he wants to replace one of the current crop of midfielders for the end-of-year tour.

Chiefs and Bay Of Plenty winger Emoni Narawa celebrated his 50th appearance for his province on Sunday afternoon, finishing off the performance and milestone game with a surprise drop goal after the final hooter.