All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said Sunday he was confident key man Dan Carter would be fit to travel to Argentina for their next match, where they will look to wrap up the Rugby Championship in style.
A calf injury has kept the world's most prolific points scorer out of the last two matches, against Argentina and South Africa, but Hansen said that Carter was in contention for the clash with the Pumas.
"It's too early to say yes or no at this point, but we're hoping he will be (able to play). He's reasonably confident so that's a good sign," Hansen said.
The All Blacks' 21-11 win over the Springboks on Saturday kept them unbeaten after four rounds and they will take home the championship title with a game to spare if they beat Argentina on September 30.
Even if Carter has not been cleared by medical staff by the time the team departs next Saturday, Hansen indicated it was possible he would still be taken, with Beauden Barrett added as a fly-half along with Aaron Cruden.
"We're only allowed to take 28 but there's ways and means on getting him on the plane in the 28," he said, adding Barrett could be included at the expense of either a prop or loose forward.
Although the All Blacks have proved they can win without Carter - they have won their last 14 matches and Carter has missed eight of them including the World Cup final last year - they have missed him on the field.
Current fly-half Cruden has yet to develop Carter's unflustered ability to navigate the side around the field, but Hansen said the understudy "got some great, valuable learning and will grow" from the match against the Springboks.
Apart from Carter, Hansen said there were no other injury concerns.
Comments
kiwilad says...
Ramage, his claim to fame is that he was a slightly better than average NPC 1st five behind a fantastic Waikato pack at the time, end of..
As a coach he has been a failure, and one has to wonder who he had to sleep with to be in his current role..
Posted 02:44 21st September 2012
7ton says...
Some good comments here but then along comes Georgesmith
Well George you have your own McCheat now and his name is McCabe LOL
Posted 23:22 18th September 2012
georgesmith says...
Who needs D. Carter in the team when you got R. McCheat! Whoever came up with this, did a remarkable job. Referees know what to expect from him in all matches so it ain't difficult to penalize him for all the cheating.
Posted 09:43 18th September 2012
ruckingkiwi says...
NZ are 4 from 4, that's pretty good in my opinion. No point bringing in guys from outside the group for a test or two. The problem with the All Blacks is the coaching, neither the forwards or backs are direct enough, that was the best thing about having Sonny around, he could create chances through the middle, get the forwards going forward and the backs running straight and things will improve.
Posted 21:13 17th September 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
What stuffed up the backs was the insistence on selecting a player they knew was leaving mid tournament in a position where predictable changes have also occurred either side of 12. I say predictable as they knew Smith was returning and may well have rested Carter. The had the chance to pick a 12 for the tournament but chose to look no further than Australia games.
Posted 14:11 17th September 2012
Ramage says...
@Kiwilad I totally agree with you Foster was the worst Super Rugby Coach around he was a total failure and now he has stuffed up the All Blacks backline who are runing around not making contact with the ball dropping passes getting in each others way. This man has lived a charmed life a reasonable Provincial Player certainly not All Black material a failed Super coach yet here is is now stuffing up one of the best backlines we have had. Just move on Foster once again out of your depth. Then again he's from the Waikato says it all doesn't it. lol.
Posted 13:15 17th September 2012
porridge_time says...
Sorry but the Chiefs backline under Foster was not actually that bad to be honest. The biggest improvement for them has been their forwards and yes the backs have improved, but to a lesser extent.
I don't think that Cruden is playing that badly and feel that certain quarters of the NZ media and AB fan base need to relax a bit.
Posted 09:19 17th September 2012
hellovanite says...
SACanuck.... Got it in one with SBW, even more so than Carter. Although there are a lot of AB fans that don't like to admit it. SBW really attracted players to him and teams had to base their defence around stoping him in the midfield. Not only from breaking the line but also his offloads (esp in opp 22). NZRFU should bust the bank (within reason) to get him back at the end of his Roosters contract. I just hope he comes back the same player.
Posted 09:04 17th September 2012
kpe12 says...
Barrett to overtake Cruden in the next 2 years.
Did nobody else notice how well that Hurricanes backline hummed all season?
Posted 08:10 17th September 2012
Trader2 says...
Why rush him back, the AB's could lose both their next two games and probably still win it. DC will be better for the third Bledisloe practice game against the Wannabies before the NH tour and Cruden can do with all the playing time at this level as he can get.
Posted 02:07 17th September 2012
Ferdie says...
cruden is 23, saturday just his sixth test start. it would be very unusual if he was already at carter's level of skill and expertise; he anD barrett (20) very much 'next generation' they'll benefit from having carter around,
Posted 01:00 17th September 2012
KiwiLad says...
I think the ABs backline problems start and end with Foster.
Any one else notice the Improvement in the Chiefs since he left?
Sadly the ABs backline is now spluttering and misfiring like the Chiefs of old..
Posted 20:57 16th September 2012
SACanuck says...
It looks like the AB's really are missing Carter and SBW. The backs just do not look as good as they did with these two in the game.
Posted 17:10 16th September 2012
cuw3100 says...
"Current fly-half Cruden has yet to develop Carter's unflustered ability to navigate the side around the field,...."
There lies the problem for MIB. S Donald was also a good fly half in S15, but struggled at test level. The same was said of C Spencer, who played 2nd fiddle to A Merhtens.
To appreciate the abilities of a great player , team has to lose him.!
Posted 11:16 16th September 2012