Carter out of World Cup
2 Oct 2011
Dan Carter has officially been ruled out of the World Cup because of injury.
Aaron Cruden will replace Carter.
All Blacks great Waka Nathan told premier New Zealand rugby site Rugbyheaven: ‘Christ, we’ve got problems … it’s bloody terrible.
‘He [Carter] would be a huge loss. But injuries are one of those things.’
Former All Blacks captain Taine Randell said Carter’s loss would have a massive impact on the side’s chances of success.
‘For us, he is crucial … Carter is probably the most important guy,’ Randell said.
‘I would still back the All Blacks but certainly not with the same confidence.’
Carter tore a groin muscle during a kicking drill at the captain’s run in preparation for Sunday’s match against Canada. Carter had just been named All Blacks captain for the first time in his career after Test centurion Richie McCaw withdrew because of ongoing problems to the foot injury that has hampered his season and tournament.
Both Nathan and Randell told Rugbyheaven they had concerns about Carter’s back-up, Canterbury’s Colin Slade.
Nathan said: ‘I’m not that much of a fan for Slade.
‘I would maybe even change [Piri] Weepu into first five. The drop in level to how Colin Slade operates is so big,’ said Randell. ‘That is why he [Carter] is so important to us.’
Slade was shocking in the 18-5 defeat against the Boks in Port Elizabeth and struggled as the starting option in the 83-8 win against Japan a fortnight ago. Cruden was the form flyhalf in the domestic ITM Cup, but his Test debut against the Wallabies in Sydney last year was not as flash.
Henry appeared to groom Cruden, then just 20, as Carter’s understudy in 2010 with performances against Wales and Australia, but did not take him on the end of year tour, preferring to play Stephen Donald. This proved disastrous. In 2011 Slade, despite limited Super Rugby game time because of injury, was the go to man.
The best option outside of Carter is London-based Nick Evans, but the New Zealand Rugby Union policy is no player will be selected for the All Blacks unless he is playing out of New Zealand. This rules out Evans as it did tighthead Carl Hayman, who plays for Toulon.
Carter’s withdrawal from the tournament has narrowed the odds on a New Zealand victory and improved the price on one of South Africa or Australia winning the tournament.
272 Comments
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2 Oct 2011, 10:16 am
This is terrible news. Many of my fellow countrymen will disagree, but I want to beat the very best at a WC.
This includes playing against Dan Carter.
This loss is a huge psychological blow for NZ.
Get well soon Dan.
2 Oct 2011, 10:33 am
Can you be more sorry for the guy?
An outstanding contributor to highest levels of the Game.
One of the all time greats indisputably.
Highest point scorer in the history of test match rugby.
29 test tries
90% kick success at all RWCs
World class tackler and distributor
He was dubbed Crown prince in 2005 against the British Lions.
But you need to win a World Cup to be anointed the King…..
4 more years is a life sentence.
2 Oct 2011, 10:34 am
@willievz(willievz)-251: Hi Willie
I agree 100%. I really wanted the opportunity to test our best against the best that each team has to offer. That’s the spirit of competition.
Having said all that, each team is struggling with their own list of 1st choice players on the injury list.
NZ have Carter
We have Steyn
Aus have Samo
Them’s the breaks I guess.
2 Oct 2011, 10:40 am
What a pity to lose both Carter and Steyn. Huge losses to the tournament
2 Oct 2011, 10:42 am
Sadly don’t think it will be the last of the big name injuries, just too much rugby at the moment
2 Oct 2011, 11:18 am
@Dawn(Dawn)-249: Time for SBW to step up I guess
2 Oct 2011, 11:19 am
As for the rumour that Hougaard is out of the World Cup, here’s a twetet from him:
“Hey tweeps! Don’t stress not going anywhere!! Don’t know where that came from! Feeling much better today..Thanx for all the support!!”
2 Oct 2011, 11:27 am
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-257:
Great news.
2 Oct 2011, 11:36 am
We lost Frans – massive; they lost Dan – massive – they cancel each other out and let a whole lot of pretenders in; anyone’s competition now …. but Boks have got to have a really good chance …
As a purist I would have preferred the injury to happen to neither – don’t like it when any rugby player gets injured – the Blacks with Carter and the Boks with Frans Steyn, in the semis: that’s the game the whole world was waiting for.
It will still be a helleva game but the general skill spectacle of both sides will be less; from a Bok perspective, big picture, the injury is good for our prospects and wtihout it I was very pessimistic the whole of yesterday.
Go Bokke – our forwards are something else.
2 Oct 2011, 11:44 am
@J.B. Cowper(J.B. Cowper)-259:
No comparison J.B.
You have Jean to replace Franz.
Jean considered by some, the best 12 in the world.
We have a no-body to replace Dan.
2 Oct 2011, 11:51 am
260.cane
I hear you mate – don’t get Waka Nathan going on this subject.
You make an interesting point which I will concede; throw in home advantage as a compensator and I would say that game is evens …
What’s the latest (and the truth) on Ritchie McCaw’s foot injury? To lose him on top of this equates to our loss of Bakkies, however. But probably more because he is the talismanic captain.
Nightmare thought: wouldn’t it suck if the Aussies squeezed through because of this?
2 Oct 2011, 14:01 pm
@cane(cane)-260:
A bit simplistic, but far from reality
Styen snubbed PdV in 2010, made it clear he will only play if in the starting line up, the Boks management as fool as they are, did realise his importance and picked no other FB specialist in the RWC squad with Pienaar, Lambie and Hougaard as cover
The ABs on the other hand snubbed Nick Evans even though they have no viable alternative, even partly to Dan Carter who always had a 70% probability to getting injured.
Both teams have no substitutes for the injured players but at least the ABs had a risk mitigation with Evans,
not anymore
2 Oct 2011, 14:23 pm
@Hondo(Hondo)-262:
Sometimes I’m convinced that you are from a totally other planet.
How do you get to some of your ideas?
2 Oct 2011, 14:55 pm
Huge lose for Abs to lose Carter. Much like us losing Frans Steyn massive loss too.
Still hope for a Bok/AB semi. Would liked both teams to have had their best players but just not to be.
2 Oct 2011, 15:43 pm
I love to have seen the Aus, boks, and AB’s with their full team compliments, now that would be a phenomenal QF and semi, effectively the finals. Bakkies, ioane, Steyn, Carter these are massive blows to the WC. I really feel for Carter this was his time to achieve the ultimate greatness!
2 Oct 2011, 21:16 pm
@spartan(spartan)-124: Yes, your right Brussow was definitely the bad guy. Poor Williams. Must the the racist scum’s fault right?
2 Oct 2011, 21:17 pm
That’s a pity for DC. A great player and will definitely have an effect on the AB game. Wonder if he will still get a medal if the ABs win. Typically it’s only for players in the squad?
2 Oct 2011, 21:19 pm
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-257: That’s good news
2 Oct 2011, 21:26 pm
The word is schadenfreude… Just Reechies foot and then schadenfreude is complete.
2 Oct 2011, 22:11 pm
@cane(cane)-260:
You’ve been spending too much time on this site, Caner; you appear to have caught a bad dose of whinguflenza. Cover your mouth when you wh’eeze, huh ?!
This AB team now realises they cant rely on 1 player. The players will step up to the plate. Seen it before, will see it again. Bunch of mongrels like Kaino and Woodcock and Mealamu and Thorn have the skills, experience and leadership to make Marmite of the opposition. The backs have skills laced with lightning. And the very second the gap opens in front of Super Slade, he’ll vaporise the cocky grins from opposition faces.
kia KAHA bro. Up your game.
Bring it !
2 Oct 2011, 23:30 pm
One down, one to go.
Game over, four more years.
What are you going to do about that now, Paddy?
3 Oct 2011, 03:45 am
Absolute tragedy for Dan and now he may never get the opp. again. As for NZ and the AB’s, no doubt the loss is significant but we are a team and the All Blacks.
If the loss of one man is going to decide our fate, we were never the team we thought we were in the first place.
I would really like to see Piri take his spot and cowan move to 9, just the experience factor more than anything.
Still we have the quarters and semi’s to go before we can get too worried.
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