Carter: 'Jonny is better than me'
Dan Carter managed to flatter Jonny Wilkinson and England when he confessed to a Sunday tabloid that the Englishman was the best flyhalf in the world and that he preferred England's winning rugby.
New Zealand star Dan Carter managed to flatter Jonny Wilkinson and England when he confessed to a Sunday tabloid that the Englishman was the best flyhalf in the world and that he preferred England's winning rugby.
The All Black star told the Sunday Mirror that Wilkinson, who surpassed 1000 points in test rugby against Italy two weeks' ago, was his hero.
“Jonny Wilkinson is definitely better than me,” a modest Carter said.
“He's achieved a lot more, he's won a World Cup and I admire him a lot.
“He's been around a lot longer than I have and he fought his way back from so many injuries to play in another World Cup Final last year.
“I look up to him and he's been an inspiration in my career.
“Jonny is a hero of mine and he's up there with the best players in the world.”
Carter also gave England, who were beaten by Wales at Twickenham for the first time in 20 years and produced a less than convincing victory over Italy in the first two rounds of the Six Nations Championship, a generous boost to their confidence.
“England play a very different style of game to us in the southern hemisphere,” he said.
“We play a more open game and are always looking to score tries, but credit to England for getting to another World Cup Final.
“It's an awesome achievement and if I had a choice between playing boring rugby and playing in a World Cup final or playing exciting rugby and getting knocked out, I know which one I would choose,” he said, referring to his team's quarter-final exit in last year's World Cup.
“As a spectator you want to see tries, but as a player you want to go out there and do what you have to do to win – and England can do just that in the rest of the Six Nations tournament.”
Carter was back to his best in the opening round of the Super 14, putting in a quality display against the Brumbies.