Colin Slade, drafted into the All Blacks squad to replace Dan Carter, who is injured.
Colin Slade has been called into the All Blacks as injury cover for Dan Carter.
Carter fractured the fibula bone in his right leg during last weekend’s Super Rugby final loss to the Waratahs in Sydney and would be sidelined for one month. He would miss at least the first two Bledisloe Cup tests.
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The All Blacks weighed up whether to recall Crusaders midfielder Ryan Crotty or Slade, but have deemed cover at No 10 a priority.
Slade came to the All Blacks after a fine Super Rugby season in which he scored 198 points, made up of four tries, 20 conversions and 46 penalties.
The only Kiwi to do better was Beauden Barrett for the Hurricanes, who scored 209 points from five tries, 32 conversions and 40 penalties. The Waratah’s Bernard Foley topped the competition with 252 points.
The inclusion of Slade over Crotty in the All Blacks tinkered with the balance of the squad. The 32-year-old Carter had provided second five-eighth cover and the All Blacks would now run with only three midfield specialists – Conrad Smith, Ma’a Nonu and Malakai Fekitoa – for the opening two tests against the Wallabies, though Blues utility Charles Piutau was an option there too.
In Carter’s absence, Chiefs first-five Aaron Cruden, who found form in the series sweep over England in June, was almost certain to start in Sydney on August 16, with Hurricanes playmaker Beauden Barrett to back him up from the bench.
Slade’s recall stripped Canterbury of their first-choice pivot ahead of next week’s NPC opener against Auckland in Christchurch. Tyler Bleyendaal would now be expected to run on wearing 10 for the red-and-blacks.
The first All Blacks test of the Rugby Championship was against the Wallabies in Sydney on Saturday, August 16.
However, All Black Dan Carter is down but definitely not out.
Dan Carter
Hobbled but far from despondent, Dan Carter portrayed a mixture of frustration and resolve as he spoke about his latest injury setback for the first time today.
Carter displayed a noticeable limp, though walked without crutches, as he strolled into Auckland’s Pullman Hotel to launch the “For Everyone” Charitable Foundation; a charity set-up by All Blacks captain Richie McCaw, Carter and Ali Williams to give community grants between $500 and $5000 throughout New Zealand.
The 32-year-old first five-eighth, who has been replaced in the All Blacks’ Rugby Championship squad by Colin Slade, will be sidelined for at least one month as he recovers from a fractured fibula suffered in last weekend’s Super Rugby final loss to the Waratahs.
That will see him miss the first two Bledisloe Cup tests against the Wallabies in Sydney and Auckland.
“It’s frustrating but that’s sport. I’m obviously out of action and I’ll have to rehab it for a few weeks,” he said.
Carter was, however, philosophical about his future. Having recently returned from a six month sabbatical he had worked hard behind the scenes to regain conditioning and fitness. Over the last two weeks Carter seemed back to nearly his best while playing at second-five for the Crusaders, only to be forced from the field last week after a heavy collision.
Though he did his best to hide the disappointment, Carter acknowledged he was desperate to don the All Blacks’ 10 jersey – one that will now almost certainly be worn by Aaron Cruden – in Sydney next week.
“The timing of it is one of the most frustrating things,” he said. “I’ve had an extended break and been working extremely hard to get back and playing to the level I’m happy with. I felt like I was just starting to get there and to get a setback like this, that’s probably the toughest thing.”
Carter was emphatic about one point. He has no plans to call time on his coveted career and expects to make a full recovery and return this season. Naturally, playing a key role in next year’s World Cup remains a major goal.
“In terms of next year, the World Cup and all that sort of stuff, that’s over a year away,” he said. “The bone will heal and I’ll be back in a month or however long it takes. There’s a lot of rugby to be played and I’m confident I can get up to speed and get up to the high standards I push myself towards.”
McCaw also backed his playmaker to make a successful comeback.
“It’s disappointing,” he said. “It would have been great to have him out there over the next couple of weeks. Injuries are all part of it and he assures me he’ll be right again soon.”