News

Carter bids 'Adieu'

November 30 2008

Daniel Carter didn't quite get to grips with his goalkicking at Twickenham but he made a passable reply in French when congratulated after the All Blacks' Grand Slam-sealing victory over England on Saturday.

"Merci beaucoup", he said, before adding a pseudo French inflection to "It was OK".

The world's premier pivot bid adieu to the All Blacks with a 17-point haul as New Zealand ended their fifteen-Test season with a 32-6 triumph.

While his team-mates are looking forward to a summer at home or a rugby-free zone elsewhere, Carter joins Perpignan on Friday, the start of his six-month sabbatical in the Heineken Cup and France's Top 14 domestic competitions.

Despite the transition from Test rugby to another intensive challenge, the 26-year-old is confident he is in the right shape physically and mentally.

"It's going to be tough finishing a big season and starting another one but I just think the change in lifestyle and being in a new environment is going to be good for me," he said.

"I'm confident I'll be able to get through it well. I want to give 100 per cent for them and when I arrive in Perpignan I'll really set some goals.

"Obviously I have high standards and I have to live up to very high expectations."

Carter celebrated the culmination of a successful All Blacks season at the team's base near England rugby headquarters on Saturday night.

Coach Graham Henry's side have retained the Bledisloe Cup, Tri-Nations silverware and added the Hillary Shield to the New Zealand Rugby Union's trophy cabinet in Wellington.

"It was a pretty good way to end the tour. To get a Grand Slam is pretty memorable," said Carter, who missed five shots at goal but set up Mils Muliaina's second try with a deft crosskick.

"We've got great character in the side, we lost a lot of regulars after the (2007) World Cup and we regained a few guys that have played before and a lot of new faces.

"To grind our way out of the pretty tough position we were in after a couple of losses in the Tri-Nations (to South Africa and Australia) and not to lose a game since then is pretty awesome. For a new bunch of guys it's a real achievement."

Carter played a huge role in the All Blacks' post- World Cup recovery this season although his goalkicking has not been up to its usual exacting standards in Britain.

He missed a couple of handy penalties against Ireland when disturbed by the eerie silence at Croke Park and had trouble from his first attempt yesterday.

Carter smiled guiltily when his scuffed 45m penalty crawled over the bar to open the scoring. But three penalties and two conversions were missed after being struck less than sweetly.

"I was kicking the ball well all week but in the warm-up I lost a bit of rhythm so that was tough. It was just one of those nights," he said.

Carter will be in Leicester on Friday where Perpignan play the first leg of their Heineken Cup doubleheader against the English powerhouse, but the kiwi will be watching from the stands as he will have to be in Milan on Wednesday and Thursday with his All Black team-mates doing equipment promotional duties, meaning he won't have any time to traim with his new french team-mates.

"Ideally he should have been with us Thursday to take part in our two training sessions. This way he just doesn't not have enough time," said Perpignan president Paul Goze.

"I only learnt about this in October. It's irritating because this match will be decisive for out qualification."