Auckland | August 13, 2009
ALL BLACKS coach Graham Henry is remaining coy on whether Dan Carter will be rushed back for the Tri Nations Test against Australia in Sydney on Saturday week.
Carter was recalled to the New Zealand squad this week after playing just one club game and two provincial matches since he snapped an Achilles in France in February.
All Blacks fans are hoping the champion five-eighth can turn around a team that produced error-ridden, below-par efforts to lose twice to South Africa last month.
Henry said yesterday Carter was looking good in training but no decision had been made as to whether he would replace Stephen Donald.
”We’re selecting the side on Tuesday in Sydney and we’ll have to wait and see,” Henry said. ”The squad of 26 will be announced on Saturday night and we’ll select a 15 and seven substitutes on Tuesday.”
Henry said Carter had played well for Canterbury against Auckland last weekend and was keen to play.
”He’s jumping out of his skin, he’s enjoyed his training. He’ll do his best but I don’t think there’s any greater expectation on Daniel Carter than any other time that he’s played for the All Blacks,” Henry said. ”I think he’s in good shape in his mind and if he gets selected I think he’ll do a good job.”
Carter said he was ahead of where he expected to be in terms of his rehabilitation from his injury and he was looking forward to All Blacks rugby again.
”I didn’t want to put too many expectations on myself on my return. I just wanted to be out there and start playing when I felt comfortable and everything’s gone extremely well, which is encouraging,” he said. ”I guess I’m quite lucky with my experience to know what to expect and it is a huge step up, but I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think I was ready to play international rugby again.”
Henry said the All Blacks received a bit of a rev up yesterday before their first training session since returning from an unsuccessful journey to South Africa.
Half-back Piri Weepu threw a scare into the camp near the end of training when he twisted an ankle. Henry said Weepu would be monitored over the next 48 hours.
■Former Wallabies winger Clyde Rathbone, 28, who had already announced his retirement from professional rugby, will have surgery today, which will effectively end his career after he suffered a facial injury while playing for Uni-Norths in the Canberra club competition on the weekend.
■The ARU yesterday went a long way towards healing the pain of four years ago in not giving Victoria the fourth Australian franchise by choosing Melbourne ahead of Western Sydney, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast as their 15th Super rugby licence contender.
The SANZAR board will decide on October 31 whether Melbourne, Taranaki from New Zealand or Eastern Cape from South Africa will be the 15th team that will play in the Australian conference from 2011.
AAP
Blah, blah blah from Henry and woops in goes Carter to the starting line up, guaranteed.
1 @Manlybok – Of course, they are desperate and he is going to save them big fat ar*es…
Jeez Koos, wouldnt it be lekker to win there again, I have a replay in my mind at anytime of Slap Tjips going through under the posts when Mallet won there and the mechanic stealing that try the last time.
Ja unfortunately the space taken up by victories over there does not take up a lot hey!!! Room for a few more…
I think they are there for the taking and like the saying goes…as dit pap reen moet jy skep! Next year they will be better and it will be much harder I expect.
I just wonder how long we can get away with that kick and chase, although the side is good enough to have a plan B. If they ever try that strategy against us, I thank my lucky stars we dont still have Percy as fullback.
Yes Manly, this is a special team right now. We will have to see how long it lasts though, some names already droping out at the end of this season and if the 3rd test against the Lions is any indication, the back-ups are waaaay behind.
By the way, I think Gits was totally neutralised on Saturday, maybe because we played well, maybe because he does not have a #9 but either way it indirectly lead to his little brain fart I think.
I think we can do the same with Carter…
@Koos –
Môre Koos.
Dit is seker al laat middag daar by julle. Is die aussies op hulle senuwees oor die bokke se twee games daar by hulle? Ons moet hulle looi in Perth.
8 @Snoek – Sal bietjie vannaand hoor wat se hulle op die rugby program, maar ek vermoed hulle is skrikkerig. Laas week het nie een van die paneel rerig hulle span ‘n kans gegee nie. Kafer reken daar is nie rerig ‘n swak plek in die span op die oomblik nie en ek stem saam.
Terloops, net so na 4 hier nou, my laaitie speel grading game vannaand so ek gaan netnou tjaila en bietjie kyk….
Skuus Snoek, en dagse daai kant ook…
Koos & manly
You can both soen my boude ! Like your coach would not play Morne Steyn if he was match fit 🙄 Okay, maybe not the best example, but you knwo what I mean !!
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