For the first time in 7 years, Dan Carter will play at second five, this time in the Crusaders' match against the Stormers. Dan Carter will play second receiver to Tom Taylor who will wear the 10 jumper as Todd Blackadder aims to freshen up the team following their return from a gruelling quick trip to South Africa.
But with Dan Carter no longer a spring chicken, now starting to head into the autumn of his career, and with the number of options available now in New Zealand at 10, could Dan Carter eventually become first choice second-five for the All Blacks?
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| Tom Taylor will play at 10 this weekend |
Ma'a Nonu's form hasn't been exactly sparkling for the Blues and one wonders how long he will hang around New Zealand rugby. And we can't really pin the future of the second five black jersey on Sonny Bill Williams can we?
There is no doubt Dan Carter is the most talented rugby player New Zealand has ever had and he can play all over the backline. He would make as a good a second-five as he has at first-five and in fact showed that in his early All Black career.
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| Barrett at 10, Carter at 12 for All Blacks? |
Now that the likes of Aaron Cruden and Beauden Barrett are banging on the door for selection and with the need to prepare for the post-Carter era, surely, it's time Dan Carter be moved to 12 and have one of the two aforementioned selected at 10 so they can glean the valuable experience from the best first playmaker in world rugby while he is still fit, healthy and very much on-song?
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| Can Cruden and Carter play in the same backline? |
I guess it's the same reason why Tom Taylor is playing at first receiver ahead of Dan Carter, with young Tom knowing that he has the excellent Dan to pass to next time.
A Dan Carter and Conrad Smith or Richard Kahui midfield partnership could be absolutely quality and hard to beat too.
Also you wonder if playing second-five could prolong Dan Carter's playing career by taking the pressure off him and reducing the contact time he has to face.
It's funny how most player's move further inside the backline as they get older, but Dan is moving out!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure it's necessarily in Hansen's thinking but Carter has the ability to play there and with Barrett and Cruden playing so well, it could be a good move. They are slightly more maverick players, so Carter could add some calm and assurance, as Mauger did when Carter first came onto the scene.