Dan Carter's comeback from injury is almost complete.
The first five-eighth, who fractured the fibula bone in his right leg during the Super Rugby grand final on August 2, has confirmed he start for Canterbury against Southland at Christchurch's AMI Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Coach Scott Robertson said Carter will only play the opening 40 minutes.
Carter suffered the injury in the first half of the Crusaders' match against the Waratahs in Sydney last month.
Being forced to spend the next eight weeks recovering from the cracked bone has prevented him playing any part in the All Blacks' Rugby Championship campaign and he stated the All Blacks had not asked him to be on standby for next weekend's test against the Springboks in Johannesburg.
He is targeting the dead rubber against the Wallabies in Brisbane on October 18 as his comeback match at test level.
''The leg is feeling really good,'' Carter said.
''I feel really good putting a lot of working into it and am waking up the next morning without any pain or symptoms, which is encouraging. So it has been a good week.
''Obviously I have not been able to train as much as I would like with the ITM Cup schedule that Canterbury have had this week but I had a good training today and am looking forward to Sunday.''
Carter has not played a National Provincial Championship match since he represented Canterbury against Hawke's Bay in Napier in 2009.
Following Wednesday night's 29-24 loss to Harbour in Albany Robertson has shifted Richie Mo'unga back to fullback to accommodate Carter.
The All Blacks coaches have requested that Carter, who also take over the goal kicking duties, be replaced at halftime as they ease him back into action.
Carter said he had no issue with not getting more game time. ''It is just a matter of sticking to the plan, really.''
Canterbury: Richie Mo'unga, Nathaniel Apa, Adam Whitelock, Rob Thompson, Michael Green, Dan Carter, Willi Heinz (c), Nasi Manu, Matt Todd, Luke Whitelock, Dominic Bird, JJ Manning, Nepo Laulala, Ben Funnell, Alex Hodgman. Reserves: Codie Taylor, Daniel Lienert-Brown, Matt Symons, Jed Brown, Mitchell Drummond, Brett Maher, Luteru Laulala.
- Stuff
