TOP COACH: Former All Blacks coach Graham ‘Ted’ Henry believes Dan Carter, if fit, ought to be in the team heading to the next World Cup.
Sir Graham Henry would pick Dan Carter for the next World Cup though admits the veteran first-five now needs to earn his starting position ahead of two young “world class” alternatives in Aaron Cruden and Beauden Barrett.
Today is a year-to-the-day before the Rugby World Cup tournament began at Twickenham with a match between England and Fiji.
The defending champion All Blacks will launch their campaign two days later with a match against Argentina at Wembley Stadium.
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Henry, who coached the team to their 2011 triumph at home, will attend next year’s tournament as an official All Blacks tour ambassador along with Stephen Donald, the penalty-kicking hero of the last final against France at Eden Park.
As usual, Henry today wasn’t short of an opinion or two as he surveyed the All Blacks’ remarkable three years since he handed over the reins to Steve Hansen and what might be needed to produce historic back-to-back-titles next year.
The 32-year-old Carter remains a hot topic as he gets set to launch his latest comeback from injury with Canterbury on Sunday.
He has played 100 tests, but has struggled for fitness since limping out of the last World Cup during pool play.
Carter has played just 15 of the All Blacks’ 39 tests since that fateful injury, but Henry backed the star first-five’s experience as a crucial ingredient for the mix of the next World Cup squad.
“I would pick him, no doubt,” Henry said of Carter’s World Cup chances.
“His challenge is: Would he get back into the top XV? You have got two world class young fellas playing at 10 which is great for All Blacks rugby, great for New Zealand rugby.
“Yeah, I would take him. But would he get in the XV? That depends on form.”
Henry felt Carter had proven his class when he made his late introduction to this year’s Super Rugby competition with the Crusaders, following his second sabbatical, helping them to the final.
“He made a considerable difference to that team,” Henry said.
“I have talked to a few of the guys in that team and they were full of praise for Daniel’s influence when he came back into the team. I don’t think anybody is going to underestimate that.”
Carter is eyeing an All Blacks return in the Bledisloe Cup dead rubber in Brisbane on October 18 and clearly had plenty to prove with his performance that should – fitness permitting – flow into the end of year tour.
Henry said “there’s no substitution for experience”, especially at World Cups and that was a huge ingredient of the current All Blacks.
Richie McCaw continues to defy his critics with massive performances like last Saturday’s effort against the Springboks in Wellington.
“Richie is a quality person and a quality rugby player. He is hugely important to that team,” Henry said, noting the All Blacks now had a backbone of players with big test numbers under their belts.
Carter falls into that category as well, despite his recent absences.
And as talk swirled of wooing Wayne Smith back into the All Blacks’ coaching mix for the cup, Henry gave his approval – with a proviso.
“I think Smithy’s involvement would be a huge positive,” Henry said.
“Smithy is an outstanding rugby coach and an outstanding person in an All Blacks environment, but he’s got to feel right about that. He has got other things that are important.”
Henry said time had flown since the last triumph.
“We partied for a long time … a bit of a relief party,” he chuckled.
“It seems amazing it’s just one year away today. It’s going to be exciting and hopefully it’s history making.”