Damian McKenzie yet to reach ‘peak ceiling’ and can still surpass Dan Carter, ex-All Blacks star claims
Donald hero believes that Damian McKenzie is far from his "peak ceiling" and could still surpass Carter.
Ex-All Blacks fly-half Stephen Donald believes that Damian McKenzie is far from his “peak ceiling” and could still become a better player than Dan Carter.
It’s a bold claim from the 2011 Rugby World Cup winner, one he admits himself, but he feels as though McKenzie still has a lot to learn as a fly-half.
Carter is widely regarded as the greatest fly-half of all-time, only really rivalled by England great Jonny Wilkinson, after winning back-to-back Rugby World Cups and being crowned World Rugby Player of the Year on three occasions.
He was a focal point in the All Blacks‘ success during the 2010s, and while he set an incredibly high bar, Donald believes that McKenzie could still surpass him despite never really nailing down a starting role in his 61 appearances for New Zealand.
Can McKenzie still surpass Carter?
In 2024, McKenzie enjoyed a run of seven starts at fly-half to start the year before losing his starting role to Beauden Barrett. However, he has been in red-hot form for the Chiefs in Super Rugby Pacific this season.
Donald believes that McKenzie’s re-signing with New Zealand Rugby and the Chiefs until 2029 signals that he will be the starting number 10 this year under Scott Robertson. The former All Blacks pivot also still backs his bold call from a few years ago when he said that when he first saw McKenzie, he thought he could be better than Carter.
“He has the attributes, is still young and with tens the more you play the more it’s up here [in your head],” he said when asked by Kirstie Stanway if he stands by his initial thoughts on The Aftermatch with Kirst and Beav podcast.
“Once you get your brain sorted to be able to deal with situations and be in situations and experience those situations week in and week out then you’re only going to get better.
“DC’s game management was impeccable but that was right from a young age and he had great education and great mentors around him, played with great teams.
“Whereas Damian has been at 10 and 15 and might not have had that guidance. He hasn’t been able to lean on an Aaron Mauger or a Mehrts [Andrew Mehrtens] or a Robbie Deans – trying to think of all the great Crusaders coaches – and then obviously Wayne Smith and so on.
“Obviously, Damian has had a lot to do with Wayne Smith too but it’s more of a case that he hasn’t been able to have continuous time to put it out there. If he can now get a continuous period and takes us through to the next World Cup or what have you then why wouldn’t he put his eyes on going right I want to be the best that I can be.
“I think from a physical attribute and skill point of view there’s nothing there that he doesn’t have to be whatever he needs or wants to be.”
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Yet to hit his peak
Donald believes that as a player, McKenzie has the skill-set and physical attributes to potentially be better than Carter, particularly because he hasn’t hit his absolute peak yet.
“I reckon there’s the player and then there’s the 10 and I know that probably sounds silly to say… but I don’t think it’s the same thing,” he continued.
“His peak ceiling as a 10 I’d say if he’s here right now, it could be here – it’s a huge amount of room to grow, huge.
“He’s fast, as quick as anyone on the field, and the best player in Super Rugby for the last three years but that’s what I’m talking about, he’s this amazing, wonderful player but his ceiling is a 10 there’s so much room for him to grow.
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“We saw him in the internationals last year, he would be the first to admit that just needs time.”
Stanway pressed Donald, asking “Give him two years [at ten] and by the World Cup?” with the former All Black replying: “He could be anything.”
She asked again, “Better than Carter?”
He replied: “Well that’s a huge, huge statement but he’s got the physical and skill-set to be that good, it’s just now up here [in his head] and managing games.”
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