Praised: Dan Carter
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Wales coach Shaun Edwards likened All Blacks fly-half Dan Carter to FC Barcelona soccer star Lionel Messi ahead of their clash on November 24.
Edwards was speaking during the lead-up to their game against Samoa at the Millennium Stadium, with Wales entering following a loss to Argentina.
But after what was a truly exceptional performance from Carter against Scotland over the weekend, Edwards found time to praise the mercurial pivot.
"He is a once in a generation player, isn't he?" Edwards told Press Association Sport.
"You have to sometimes stand back - it's like watching Lionel Messi play football - and realise that you are just glad you were around to see him.
"I just hope he doesn't play too good against us.
"I thought after Scotland intercepted a Carter pass and scored a try, it was probably the worst thing that could have happened to them.
"He was absolutely breathtaking after that. He virtually took it upon himself to correct what he had done wrong and the tries flowed for New Zealand."
Comments
SimonC says...
Even as an All Blacks and Crusaders supporter, I am firmly of the belief that Carter is the world's best inside centre, and has been played out of position for most of his career because New Zealand has lacked a quality fly-half. His game management is patchy, and he can go missing at crucial times. If he had been left to wreak havoc in the midfield with his running game while someone else worried about running the backline who knows what he could have achieved!
Posted 11:48 15th November 2012
Spartacus says...
@Kiwikev - Stephen Larkham. Jonny Wilkinson. Barry John. Butch James. All of them at least as good as Carter (apart from one - see if you can spot which)
Posted 10:34 15th November 2012
kpe12 says...
Carter still makes simple mistakes, it still sometimes miffs me when he misses touch on a penalty or makes a terrible clearance.
BUT in terms of being able to play defence, offense and read the game, he has no peer in terms of controlling a side currently.
Posted 07:10 15th November 2012
jonesy2 says...
probably accurate but messi is the carter of soccer is the proper way to say it
Posted 06:23 15th November 2012
Kiwikev says...
@ Spartacus
Miles off eh...Tell me the better first five to have played this game?
Posted 02:13 15th November 2012
ferdie says...
Looking at the top 50 all-time points scorers, I'd say of those 50 only Carter and Morne Steyn (486) are likely to be still playing in two year's time.
Carter on 1381pts, 50th placed is on 304.
Difficult to pick any player in the next few years reaching 1000 points, by which time Carter - if he playes one more season - should have topped 1500.
93 matches average 14.8 points, that will be hard to beat.
Posted 23:56 14th November 2012
Wallaroo says...
Dan Carter is Messi alright, leaves a wake of destruction every time he touches the ball.
Posted 22:53 14th November 2012
Melkiwi says...
Over rated but yet he's the leading point scorer of all time. A lot of people may say its easy to be made to look that good with a team like that. Well no it isn't Stephen Donald is a fine example. The players around maybe the best but if your not at that standard then you will fail terribly. DC is one of the games greats.
Posted 21:11 14th November 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
Messi may one say improve to a level where he can orchestrate consistent performances at international level to make his country continually the best in the world and himself the conductor of all their stand out performances for the best part of a decade and then be footballs ugly Carter.
Posted 19:29 14th November 2012
JayStarr says...
People in New Zealand and South Africa are now going "who's Messi..?" lol.
Aaaaaah, that's what I love about being back in SA - no bloody FOOTBALL everywhere...
Posted 19:24 14th November 2012
Jediboy says...
He is a class act, no doubt about that. I wish England had someone like him.
Posted 19:15 14th November 2012
Isograford says...
@Spartacus Perhaps one day, no matter what country you're from, you'll eventually appreciate that you're probably watching the best 10 of all time.
Posted 18:48 14th November 2012
trelawney says...
Shuan Edwards is an idiot. How can you compare a 1st class rugby player with an above average football player?
Posted 18:48 14th November 2012
jmanngod says...
hahaha I have NEVER heard of this guy Messi
Posted 18:36 14th November 2012
fattysock says...
@Masar
I heard that to... but he was CLEARLY joking when he said it. It came as DC kicked off after the intercept... i.e. his only mistake of the match. Just prior to the intercept they commentators had been talking him up... then he threw the intercept and so the commentator took the opportunity to be funny.
Posted 18:16 14th November 2012
masar says...
i actually heard a comentator during de scotland nz game saying "huuuuuuuugely overated dan carter..." lol
Posted 18:06 14th November 2012
atg77 says...
I think it's a reasonably fair description, given the number of tries he creates - and scores himself. You can argue with the stats... Carter's are quite unbeleivable... 29 test tries in 93 tests is phenomanal for a fly-half... pretty much unmatched by any no.10 in international rugby history. Not to mention his overall points scoring record of 1381. However I think that in his prime, Brian O'Driscoll (46tries in 126 tests so far) was superior to Carter in terms of sheer ability to turn a game on its head, but he(Odriscoll) peaked reletively early and is well past his best.
Posted 17:57 14th November 2012
Golden_statenba says...
Don't know how you can compare two totally different sports?
It's like the NFL vs Rugby thing I don't know any rugby player that you could put at the quarterback position and the same goes for NFL players playing 1st 5??
Anyway say you were going to do so wouldn't DC be more comparable to a midfield player?
Bring on the debate
Posted 16:48 14th November 2012
Rolf says...
Are you kidding?
DC is lightyears ahead of Messi, who is a striker allright, but thats it.
Dan carter is THE Master of the game.
If, i would compare him to Johan Cruyff - but likable.
Dan Carter to me os the best ever to play this game.
And i am a Bok fan.
Posted 16:07 14th November 2012
rugby_rockstar says...
lenny who?
Posted 14:43 14th November 2012