Dan Carter returns for the All Blacks - Should he start?
Posted by | Posted in All Blacks | Posted on 11-08-2009
Dan Carter is now back! There have been many players in the game today who have come back from horrific injuries and never been the same when they returned. This is not the first time Dan Carter has made a come back from a serious injury. In 2005, Carter broke his leg but made a successful return from that. Now this time around he is coming back from a ruptured Achilles tendon that sidelined him for six months.
Dan Carter has since played two games for Canterbury in the Air New Zealand Cup and has now been recalled to the All Black squad. Now many people will have different opinions about Carter returning to the All Blacks so soon. Some believe that the All Black selectors are panicking after their disappoitment in South Africa and they are hoping Carter’s return will help them win their remaining games in the Tri-Nations. Whilst some believe that Carter’s return is just what the All Blacks need.
I guess the biggest question is if Dan Carter is ready to be playing test rugby again. There is a huge gulf between the Air New Zealand Cup he has been playing in and Tri-Nations rugby. There is no doubting that Carter has the quality to be playing for the All Blacks but are they not rushing him back into the deep end too soon? I am sure his injury is 100% healed now or else he would not be playing but how is his match fitness and his match sharpness? He certainly can not be at the top of his game right now. But is a 70% ready Dan Carter better than a 100% Stephen Donald?
Could just the sheer presence of having Dan Carter on the field be enough to spur the All Blacks on? Maybe that is just what they need to reignite their Tri-Nations.
Personally, I feel that if Dan Carter himself feels that he is ready to wear the All Black kit again and the selectors believe he is ready, then he should be given a run and maybe not start against the Wallabies in Sydney on 22 August, but come off the bench and see how he does from there.
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deans will be smelling blood. this is shear desperation. ready or not this will sent save our soul signals to the enermy.
if he starts u can always pull him off. I think that’s the only way to assess how ready he is. well I can go on with if this if that but if cater is been recalled let him play but bring him on later. mind you donald has not done much wrong so it will be interesting what the coach decides. cater recently said one man alone can not change things. my question is, are allblack’s problems at flyhalf?
Personally I rate Stephen Donald. Is he as good as Dan Carter when Dan is on top form?? No. But then no other flyhalf in the world is as good as Dan when he is on song.
But as Mozie said, are the New Zealand problems due to Donald?? Personally I think it is far from the problem, I think Donald is one of the stronger links in the ABs right now.
So what can carter do to change that, sure he may add a bit of spark, but I think there is a lot more wrong that he can have no effect on, unless they put him in the lineouts too! haha
So bring him….whats the worst that can happen, but careful, half brain giteu may end up with both boots in his face and chewing on his achilles first chance he gets!!
arent these suspicions about a returning player the same as the one’s that were raised with some of the boks players ala de villiers and co? and if memory serves me correct they seemed to fit in just fine.
carter being included in the training squad is by no means a guarentee that he’d make the match day 22, but thats unlikely given his caliber. if the man’s fit why not play him?
manny/fraz…what games have you been watching? donald was attrocious in the first half against the boks in the 2nd test hence the early substitution. but i do agree that the problem doesnt lie in the flyhalf postion but in the squad in general and a lack of a suitable game plan, not this ‘run it from anywhere’ plan that henry and co seemed to ahve adopted…
personally, i’d start carter on the bench at best, but after they rushed half wit mcallister back after his overseas stint i wouldnt be surprised if you see him in the number 10 jumper come next week
giteau wont be able to catch carter to do any such thing fraz
Spot on gents, I do not think Carter will wave a magic wond and all ends up well. Donald is not the problem but I guess the selectors are hoping that Carter’s presence will add confidence to the team. Personally, I would have brought him on off the bench. But then again, frrom reports I have read, there is nothing Dan Carter cannot do on the field. I read an article with the former Cheetahs wing (Burger) who played with Carter in France, stating that Carter is just an amazing talent. Those that have played with him have great admiration for the bloke. Who knows,maybe his presence is all that’s needed.
Carter should come off the bench. Donald has been competent in an environment where the coaches have been 2nd guessing themselves and not doing enough homework.
Dan Carter is brilliant. In round 2 of the Air New Zealand he scored all 22 points to lead Canterbury to victory. Thus form isn’t problem and by the August 22 his match fitness will be upto about 75%/80% as he is playing for Canterbury this weekend.
The only thing that can save the All Blacks is change of philosophy and direction. The durban test was disgraceful.
ive had a change of heart. DC has followed up his 22 point game last week with a 19 pointer this weekend leading Canterbury to a 46-13 victory against Waikato.
This has given me hope and DC should start. He has had 3 games under his belt and improved all the time. I watched reunion last week and he is looking good. By the way, all black rugby isn’t dead and buried. There is some talent coming through and now that we are the underdogs will be surprise some people.
Watch out for a guy called Colin Slade. he is brilliant.
DC will satrt vs the Aus and it should be interesting to see how he fairs vs Matt. It should be a cracker. But i agree, Daniel Carter cannot be sidelined, especially seeing as though the AB’s are thin in the Flyhalf possy.