Carter wary of in-form Waratahs
May 29 2008
Crusaders' fly-half Dan Carter has issued a warning to his team-mates not to underestimate the Waratahs or face the possibility of watching their opponents walk off with the Super 14 trophy when the two teams meet in the Final on Saturday.
While Carter said the Crusaders' 33-22 semi-final win over the Hurricanes had restored confidence after two narrow wins and two defeats in their last four round-robin games, he admitted nothing less than a complete performance would be good enough against the Waratahs.
"There is a real self-belief in the squad, even though we've been through a couple of scratchy wins and a loss," Carter told AAP.
"That game on the weekend meant we were up for play-off time, so we got a lot of confidence from that.
"But we realise we have to step up another level because it will be a much harder challenge this weekend.
"The Waratahs are playing extremely well. I rate them very highly. They are capable of beating any side.
"So we have to be right at the top of our game if we are going to come away with the outcome we're after.
"They are the team with the most momentum going into the play-offs. They were playing some good footy and had some good wins."
The Waratahs are fielding a vastly different team to the one which leaked four tries in the last half hour in the Round Six encounter with the Crusaders at the same venue.
Among the changes are the in-form centre combination of Rob Horne and Tom Carter, half-back discovery Luke Burgess and an entirely new front row.
Since then, the new-look Waratahs have grown in confidence and experience with every win since the last disappointing trip to Christchurch.
Carter said the Waratahs' new-look side was poles apart from the side that crashed to a 34-7 loss to the Crusaders eight weeks ago.
"The Waratahs would have learned a lot from that game," said Carter.
"They will be a different side and a lot tougher challenge than they were that night.
"They've shown they can use real width and score some great tries. They have some real gamebreakers - [Lachie] Turner and [Lote] Tuqiri, there's a lot of skill and pace out wide.
"It is something we have to watch out for."
Carter's personal duel with Kurtley Beale could be decisive - as could their respective goal-kicking - but the All Blacks playmaker rejected a suggestion his teenage opposite could be the Waratahs' weak link in the high-stakes final.
"He has made real strides this season from last year," said Carter.
"With the ball in hand, he is always going to be a threat. You can't drift off him too quickly because he has great footwork.
"He's not the biggest guy so that's not on his side. But, if he gets good front-foot ball, he'll be dangerous"
While Carter slotted seven from seven against the Hurricanes, Beale could only manage two from seven against the Sharks, allowing Carter to apply some subtle pressure on his rival.
"It is a big occasion for him," added Carter.
"Hopefully we will sell out (AMI Stadium). Kicking can be pretty important. It is not about scoring four tries with a bonus point, so you have to take every opportunity as it comes and often that means kicking penalty goals."
Like his Waratahs counterpart Ewen McKenzie, the final will be Australia-bound Robbie Deans' last game as Crusaders' coach.
But Deans has said there was no room for sentiment and left Carter to share what Saturday's final means to the Crusaders.
"It means a lot," said Carter.
"We have been together close to six years now.
"We have shared a lot together and created a lot of friendships and this is why we play the game."