In demand: Dan Carter
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Two Top 14 clubs are battling it out to secure the services of Crusaders and All Blacks pivot Dan Carter for 2014, according to European media reports.
Test rugby's record pointscorer is expected to initiate the clause in his New Zealand Rugby Union contract for a "sabbatical" break from rugby in the first half of 2014.
The Rugby Paper website reports that Carter is being courted by Toulon and Racing Metro to serve a six-month stint in France, similar to the contract he signed with Perpignan for the first half of 2009.
Carter's time at Perpignan ended after just four games when he sustained a serious Achilles tendon injury.
Racing Metro had reportedly offered Carter a lucrative three-year deal before he signed on for a further four years with the NZRU through to the 2015 World Cup.
The Paris-based club's president Jacky Lorenzetti is still pursuing the 30-year-old, while Toulon's multi-millionaire owner Mourad Boudjellal has also reportedly entered the fray.
"Boudjellal has been in contact with Dan's representatives so it will probably come down to a bidding war between them and Metro," said an unidentified source in the report.
"Metro really want to bring him over and what they have in their favour is that Carter is set to have a young family and Paris would be very attractive in that regard."
Comments
rugby_rockstar says...
He's obviously going to sign for Exeter Chiefs. Wait and see. :)
Posted 13:41 07th January 2013
ferdie says...
not afraid to say I was WRONG! re earnings (see earlier post)
Some figures in todays news about the top earning sportsmen in NZ - with endorsements and sponsorship, they have Carter 'earning' a total NZ$2.5m (1.27m GBP) this year, Sonny Bill Williams NZ$2.5m (rugby/boxing/endorsements) and McCaw (boosted by NZ$500,000 from his book) on NZ$2m (1mGBP).
And Jerome Kaino on NZ$1.4m, no sponsorship, just playing rugby, in Japan.
A long way behind yachtsman Russell Coutts on NZ$13.4m, footballer Ryan Nelsen NZ$5.2m.
Posted 01:56 30th December 2012
melkdave says...
With talk of JW considering retiring next year ,i wouldnt be suprised if Toulon are really battaling hard for DCs signature,Also as others have said ,you can never blame a player for wanting to maxamise his payday.After all your retired a very long time compard to your playing career.
Posted 13:08 29th December 2012
5Lock4ward says...
I would think he'd feel some sort of obligation to Perpignan after not really playing for them although I'm sure he collected his paycheck. But then again when he was at Perpignan they had a better scrum-half to partner him up with.
Posted 01:29 29th December 2012
ferdie says...
rolf - understand the two highest paid rugby players in New Zealand to be McCaw and Carter, both on total rugby (ITM up to NZ$60,000, Super up to NZ$180,000, rest from All Blacks/NZRU) deals of NZ $750,000, that's 380,000 pound a year.
There is very limited opportunity for extras with the small NZ population - not many ABs get involved in advertising/endorsements.
Comparatively, internationally, quite low among the top nations.
Easy to see why the temptation is there to head offshore before retiring.
When Carl Hayman left NZ he went from NZ$400,000 a year to over a million.
Posted 12:48 26th December 2012
rolf says...
I understand, Wilko was the first Rugby-Pro to earn a milion+ for playing (not taling advertsiing/sponsoring monies into account).
Can somone help me to get an idea of what amounts we are talking for Dan Carter or other pros in Franke and NZ?
In German Football Bundeslig it is pretty common knpowldege who earns how much: Top player 5-7 million a year, regular one 500k 1 mio (all before tax/sponsors).
Obviously this doesnt apply here, yet.
Posted 16:46 24th December 2012
hellovanite says...
Definitely exploiting opportunities...
Posted 13:04 24th December 2012
isthatrightref says...
@ APV1... déclassé to the max, mon ami!
He may be the dominant & many would say best 5/8 of the pro era but DC has never really maximised his earning potential: I'm pretty sure Nick Evans earns more in your beloved Premiership & Heineken Cup than DC in S15 & AB's - if the oz media are to be believed even the Tokoroa Terror earns more...
Note to whichever French club ends up borrowing him: please take better care of him than Perpignan did 'cos we may need a few spare 5/8's come 2015 :-)
Posted 04:19 22nd December 2012
whizz52 says...
APV1-a pro rugby player! more likely to go for a spell in Japan however.
Posted 22:54 21st December 2012
sirtidychris says...
Basically a well paid working holiday in france before returning to nz for the rwc year would also allow the all blacks to give decent game time to his successor/s...win win me finks.
Posted 15:13 21st December 2012
APV1 says...
Would this make him a mercenary, or just exploiting his opportunities..?
Posted 13:53 21st December 2012