Dan Carter, the legendary All Black, has thrown his two cents into the swirling debate over who will claim the coveted number ten jersey for New Zealand at the 2027 Rugby World Cup. With Scott Robertson at the helm, toggling between Damian McKenzie, Beauden Barrett, and the soon returning Richie Mo'unga, the fly-half spot is hotly contested.
Robertson's tenure has been marked by indecision in this critical role, and Carter, with his 112 caps, admits even he can't nail down who will start. "Oh, jeez. Your guess is as good as mine," Carter confessed during the World Cup draw, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding the position. He added, "Obviously, Beaudy’s been at the helm this year. We had DMac leading for the majority last year, and now Richie’s back in the mix."
The competition for the number ten shirt is fierce, something Carter appreciates from his own days of dominance in the role. "What I love about that is the competition," he noted. "Everyone has the opportunity to grab a hold of that jersey."
"There's going to be upsets."
Carter didn't shy away from forecasting the unpredictable nature of World Cups, emphasizing the unique pressures and challenges they present. "You’ve got to do your core basics well, the fundamentals of the game, in the 10 jersey because World Cups are different," he explained.
Carter, who clinched the Webb Ellis Cup twice with New Zealand, remains optimistic about the All Blacks' chances under Robertson, despite some hiccups. "I think they’ve definitely got the players to win a World Cup," he asserted.
He also touched on the scrutiny Robertson faces, suggesting it's part and parcel of the high expectations in New Zealand rugby. "We’ve got to support Razor," Carter stated. "He has been trying to grow depth and has been quite open about that, but there have been key moments in the last couple of seasons that we just haven’t quite delivered."
Carter is confident in the team's trajectory, "As long as he’s learning from those and I’m confident that he will be and the coaching group will be learning from those losses, then they’ll only grow and continue to get better. As long as they are continuing to grow and improve, then they put themselves in good stead for a World Cup in 2027."
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Dan Carter, the legendary All Black, has thrown his two cents into the swirling debate over who will claim the coveted number ten jersey for New Zealand at the 2027 Rugby World Cup. With Scott Robertson at the helm, toggling between Damian McKenzie, Beauden Barrett, and the soon returning Richie Mo'unga, the fly-half spot is hotly contested.
Robertson's tenure has been marked by indecision in this critical role, and Carter, with his 112 caps, admits even he can't nail down who will start. "Oh, jeez. Your guess is as good as mine," Carter confessed during the World Cup draw, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding the position. He added, "Obviously, Beaudy’s been at the helm this year. We had DMac leading for the majority last year, and now Richie’s back in the mix."
The competition for the number ten shirt is fierce, something Carter appreciates from his own days of dominance in the role. "What I love about that is the competition," he noted. "Everyone has the opportunity to grab a hold of that jersey."
"There's going to be upsets."
Carter didn't shy away from forecasting the unpredictable nature of World Cups, emphasizing the unique pressures and challenges they present. "You’ve got to do your core basics well, the fundamentals of the game, in the 10 jersey because World Cups are different," he explained.Carter, who clinched the Webb Ellis Cup twice with New Zealand, remains optimistic about the All Blacks' chances under Robertson, despite some hiccups. "I think they’ve definitely got the players to win a World Cup," he asserted.
He also touched on the scrutiny Robertson faces, suggesting it's part and parcel of the high expectations in New Zealand rugby. "We’ve got to support Razor," Carter stated. "He has been trying to grow depth and has been quite open about that, but there have been key moments in the last couple of seasons that we just haven’t quite delivered."
Carter is confident in the team's trajectory, "As long as he’s learning from those and I’m confident that he will be and the coaching group will be learning from those losses, then they’ll only grow and continue to get better. As long as they are continuing to grow and improve, then they put themselves in good stead for a World Cup in 2027."