Why Dan’s the man
Like most rugby-mad New Zealand youngsters, when Dan Carter was a youngster his most cherished dream was that one day he would wear the famous All-Black jersey. That’s all he wanted, wear the jersey, become one of the fabled. Well, he got his wish, and then some; June 21st 2003, barely 21, he got his first cap, became All-Black number 1034. But that was just the beginning. Today, the most famous name in rugby is Dan Carter. He wears the pivotal number 10 shirt, wears it better than any other current out-half in world rugby, is already being talked of as potentially one of the all-time greats.
But that’s only part of the story that is Dan Carter. Rugby hasn’t yet quite reached the levels of worldwide popularity as soccer, but that hasn’t stopped Jockey describing Dan Carter as one of their most recognisable and saleable faces (would that be right, given that underwear is their speciality?) He’s got the game, no question about that, but he’s also got the indefinable, that little extra that filters out even the best; Dan Carter has the ‘wow’ factor. He crosses boundaries. He appeals.
But, what’s it like being inside that skin? None of the extra-curricular stuff was in the original wish of what is essentially a shy and modest guy — David Beckham he is not. So what’s it like being Dan Carter, superstar? Has he started seeing his public image in the third person yet, speaking of ‘Dan Carter’ almost as if he’s someone else? He laughs at the suggestion — “That’s good! It’s not the reason I play the game but I guess it has come with the territory. It’s not something I read too much into, I don’t try to change the way I look or anything because of it.”
That could have been a reference to a query from a female journalist after the latest advertising campaign as to whether or not he waxes his body – “No,” his amused response, “I’m just not a hairy person!”
But how does he feel when he passes those giant billboards of himself in various poses; does he have little wry laugh to himself, or does he think — yeah, that’s me, made it! Again he laughs: “At first I was slightly embarrassed by the whole thing, being everywhere, but it’s just something I’ve gotten used to. It has made things tough in certain areas, but I’ve got a great bunch of guys around me, great family and friends, they keep me pretty grounded, and thank God for that. I’m playing for the All-Blacks, which has always been a dream of mine. Probably there are pros and cons that come with that but I wouldn’t give it up for anything.”
But it has to be a lot of hassle, surely. Even for this piece, when it was announced that Dan Carter was now available to the print media several other players were abandoned mid-interview and he was instantly surrounded. Does he often wish he had remained just below the radar, or does he enjoy it? “Yeah, definitely,” he says, and you know what, he looks like he is; “If I ever stop enjoying it I’ll stop playing.”
He does seem a very well grounded guy. First and foremost, he’s a rugby player; all the other stuff is just by-product. He’ll answer all these questions, he’ll do the ancillary work, but this guy will not be taking his eye off the ball. He’s still just 25, but every year he gets better. Already considered the complete out-half, every weapon of a top-notch 10 in his arsenal, this year he went and worked on improving his physicality. The results are obvious, an upper-body physique that wouldn’t look out of place in the back-row. Now, when Dan Carter hits in the tackle, he hurts. He’s not unlike England’s Jonny Wilkinson in that respect, not unlike Wilkinson in a lot of ways. He’s left-footed primarily but almost equally good with his right; he’s a metronomic goal-kicker from either side of the pitch, also a huge touch-finding boot; against Italy in their World Cup opener, his chips were deadly, cut the aggressive Italian defence to ribbons, prompting backs coach Wayne Smith to eulogise: “Dan seems to see it all, it was one of those games for him, superb.”
THERE IS one way, however, in which he is unlike the man whom he replaced as the undisputed number one number 10 in the world; after the last World Cup, won by England, Wilkinson stated that he hadn’t really enjoyed the tournament, all the stress, the weight of expectation. Dan has different notions. “I’m having a great time both on and off the field. On the field I’m with my teammates, playing for the All-Blacks. I enjoy every moment I have in the black jersey; also being around my team-mates off the field is great, especially in environments like this — it’s hard not to have a good time.”
After his heroics against Italy Dan was given a week off, sat in the stands for the big win over Portugal in Lyon, a game that became a carnival. Like the 40,000-plus fans who stayed and applauded the efforts of both teams long after the final whistle, Dan enjoyed the atmosphere; he didn’t enjoy sitting it out, however, much as he appreciates that his understudy, Nick Evans, needed the game time. “Obviously I’d prefer to be out there but that’s just the way things are. It’s always tough, watching, you want to be out there, but I enjoyed watching the guys. When you’re not playing you probably work harder on your game in the training field, you do a few extra sessions later on in the week. Mentally it’s quite refreshing, you’re keener again for the next game.”
Which is tomorrow against Scotland at Murrayfield. “I’m expecting a very physical game, they have lots of big forwards which is good, just what we need. In the last couple of years they’ve really tried to use the ball, and on a few occasions that has worked out extremely well, a couple of areas where they can be dangerous.”
A couple of areas where they can be dangerous — Dan Carter meets that number all on his own, and then some.
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