Rugby Union - by Craig Hill

utter crap

Claims of greatness staked too soon
The Southland Times | Tuesday, 24 July 2007

The greatest player ever. That's the normally down-to-earth Robbie Deans' assessment of All Black first five-eighth Daniel Carter. Not even the greatest first five, but the greatest player, writes Joseph Romanos this week.

If it was the opinion of a journalist looking for a headline, or someone with no idea of rugby's history, it would be dismissed immediately, but Deans? His is one of the most famous names in All Black rugby – his great-uncle, Bob, was the player who did or didn't score a try in the famous match against Wales at Cardiff in 1905.

Robbie Deans was a record-breaking Canterbury fullback, a good All Black, and has become a superb coach who has built a fabulous record with the Crusaders.

He doesn't make outlandish claims and tends to err on the side of saying too little, but I can't go along with him about Carter.

There's no doubt Carter is a classy first five-eighth. I'm not sure he yet rates as highly as his Australian counterpart, Stephen Larkham, and it's questionable whether at the age of 25 he deserves to be ranked ahead even of former All Black first fives Grant Fox and Andrew Mehrtens.

He kicks superbly, runs strongly, understands the game and isn't afraid of the physical challenges. He is some player but then so were Barry John, Mark Ella, Naas Botha, Michael Lynagh, Rob Andrew, Hugo Porta and a host of other first fives.

And that's just first fives, not to mention all the other positions.

Carter is All Black No 1034. They haven't all been distinguished, of course, but lots of them have been.
To be a candidate for best ever requires another ingredient, a spark of genius, an ability to change the history or development of the game.

Carter has not reached that level.

He made his Canterbury debut in 2002 and All Black debut in June 2003. Six months later he was part of the failed All Black World Cup campaign in Australia.

He has now played 41 tests and amassed 636 points, including 20 tries. Clearly he is on his way to a great record but he's not yet won a World Cup and recently there were mutterings about his form.

If he broke a leg tomorrow and never played again, would we remember him as the greatest ever? Not to my mind. I prefer to think of him as a work in progress and to leave such grand assessments until after he has retired, so there can be a bit of perspective in the judgment.

05/04/07

Rugby heart-throb Dan Carter has unlocked the secrets of his underwear drawer and revealed tantalising details of how he wears his smalls.

In what could be music to the ears of his female admirers, the All Blacks superstar has admitted he never goes "commando", has never worn women's underwear and his Jockeys don't chafe.

The first five-eighth revealed the private details at the launch...
...His near-naked image, a common sight in New Zealand, will appear on giant billboards across Europe and the UK in time for the Rugby World Cup in France in September.

But the pictures are more revealing than Carter himself. At yesterday's carefully orchestrated launch, media were told the first five-eighth would not answer questions about his personal life, rugby or the Rugby World Cup.

In a brief one-on-one interview, Carter agreed he also had neither the time nor the inclination to discuss, for example, the anti-smacking bill or the US presidential election race.

"No, " he said.

So the interview was to focus solely on the underpants, then. "Yes."

What makes good underwear, according to Carter, is comfort and "you can tell straight away" if they're good. He quickly points out that the new 3D range is "right up there, the best I've ever worn".

He owns 15 or 20 pairs. In fact, he owns only Jockey brand underwear. "Honestly" he insists.
Carter, who turned 26 in March, admits he is quite a shy person off the field, but says he is having fun as a model.

He is prepared for a fresh round of ribbing from mates when his billboards go global, but "it's all light-hearted and a bit of a laugh".