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Leon MacDonald lifts lid on Dan Carter's playing future with the Blues

(Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

Dan Carter will not return for the Blues next season, despite coach Leon MacDonald’s protestations, but could still feature for the Auckland franchise behind the scenes.

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Carter signed for the Blues last season but didn’t end up getting any playing time thanks to the Covid-enforced cancellation of the final Super Rugby Aotearoa clash against the Crusaders, where he was set to make his debut.

While there was never really an expectation that Carter would return as a player to the franchise, it didn’t stop MacDonald from trying to persuade the 38-year-old to return once again.

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MacDonald ultimately wasn’t successful in his plea to the former All Black No 10, but remains hopeful of convincing him to help the Blues’ playmakers next season in a non-playing capacity, especially with Beauden Barrett away on a short-term deal in Japan.

“I was pretty relentless with Dan,” MacDonald said. “He would have been great because he would have given us that experience that we’ve lost with Beauden Barrett going around preparation. He’s just down the road so I’m hoping we see him around even if it’s just with the kickers having some sort of input.”

Carter, 38, bowed out of international rugby after leading the All Blacks to victory at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

The three-time World Rugby Player of the Year then spent three seasons in Paris with Racing 92 before joining the Kobelco Steelers in Japan in 2018.

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However, the global pandemic put an early end to domestic rugby in Japan in 2020 and Carter decided to return to New Zealand to take up a role with the Blues in Super Rugby Aotearoa.

Carter said his role with the Blues was always more about coaching and mentorship as opposed to contributing as a player.

“It wasn’t about me getting on the pitch,” Carter Carter said in an interview with 66 Magazine last month.. “It was about helping the team grow and sharing my experience with the younger guys and the leadership group. I can’t help myself though: I missed rugby.”

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If MacDonald gets his way, Carter could feature behind the scenes with the Blues once again but his playing future remains uncertain with international borders remaining closed.

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Carter made three appearances for his boyhood club side Southbridge this year, which successfully defended its Ellesmere senior competition title with the superstar on board.

Meanwhile, the Blues announced their squad for Super Rugby Aotearoa 2021 this week, which includes 12 current or former All Blacks and two Samoa World Cup players in their 38-strong squad that comprises seven rookies.

However, as first reported by the Herald, the Blues have left one spot for an international test star who they are in talks with.

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R
RedWarrior 1 hour ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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