Why Dan’s the man

BE careful what you wish for, you just might get it, a modern version of an old Chinese proverb.

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.