New Zealand 79 Canada 15:NEW ZEALANDERS woke up yesterday to the news they had spent four years hoping not to hear: Dan Carter, outhalf and icon, will miss the remainder of the World Cup.
With their captain, Richie McCaw, admitting to chronic foot problems and missing the final pool game against Canada, the first cracks have started to appear in the Kiwi belief that after 24 years they are about to reclaim the World Cup.
McCaw’s injury was the lead story on Saturday’s lunchtime radio news, and TV One ran a 15-minute special once Carter’s condition, a torn adductor in the groin, sustained practising kicking, was confirmed by the All Blacks’ team doctor Deb Robinson.
Robinson said a scan had shown no obvious reason for the injury: “He had no symptoms on the day. It just happened totally out of the blue. There is just no reason,” said Robinson, who said Carter would travel with the team to Auckland today and would see another specialist but only to discuss how the injury would be managed. There is the possibility of surgery.
“He has been probably one of the greatest players produced by this country and this was going to be his pinnacle,” said Graham Henry, the New Zealand head coach.
“He was focusing on this tournament for the last couple of years and it is devastating he cannot be involved in that. This was his scene, really. A World Cup in New Zealand and it was going to be his big, big, big occasion, if you like.”
Yesterday Carter’s place against Canada was taken by the 23-year-old Colin Slade, who had a nervous kicking game in the 79-15 victory in Wellington – landing five from 10 – before handing over the playmaker’s duties to Piri Weepu. Weepu, normally a scrum-half, kicked all four of his conversions in a game that marked the return to favour of Zac Guildford.
Two weeks ago the Hawke’s Bay wing looked to have been sidelined, after admissions of a drink problem. Yesterday he ran in four of the All Black tries, the first created by Slade. Carter’s place in the squad has been taken by Aaron Cruden of Manawatu but it is more likely Weepu will double up as Slade’s understudy as the World Cup goes into the knockout phase.
Henry said the Waikato number 10, Stephen Donald, who is on his way to Bath, was not considered as a replacement. Those probably best able to do the job are already in Europe – Nick Evans with Harlequins and Luke McAlister with Toulon, after being given permission to end his All Blacks contract early.
“Going forward? Well, Colin Slade’s the boy. He played pretty well for a long period of the game,” Henry said. “He just needs more football. The more time we can get him out there, the better he’s going to be.”
McCaw’s injury appears more manageable, if ongoing, and he expects to be available for the quarter-final against Argentina in Auckland next Sunday. It is the same foot in which a screw was inserted into a cracked metatarsal in February, costing him a good part of his Super Rugby season.
McCaw said he could have played in the Canada match. “It is something I have managed all through the year. I got through training yesterday fine. I wanted to get ready for next week – that is why this decision has been made. I was pretty keen to play but with the knockout match next week I wanted to be ready to go. It was a bit frustrating but it is a niggle I have dealt with for a while.”
In McCaw’s absence Victor Vito played his first Test at openside flanker and Carter was appointed to captain the side until injury prevented it. The hooker, Andrew Hore, led the side into action.
South Africa have called up Zane Kirchner, the Bulls fullback, after losing Frans Steyn in the 13-5 victory against Samoa on Friday.
Steyn, who scored tries in the Springboks’ first three matches, injured his left shoulder in the final few minutes. He will return to South Africa for surgery.
NEW ZEALAND: Muliaina; Dagg, Smith, S Williams, Guildford; Slade, Cowan; Read, Vito, Kaino, A Williams, Whitelock, O Franks, Hore, Woodcock. Replacements: Toeava for Dagg (47 mins), Weepu for Read (51 mins), Boric for Muliaina (51 mins), B Franks for O Franks (56 mins), Ellis for Cowan (62 mins).
CANADA: Evans; Trainor, van der Merwe, Smith, P Mackenzie; Monro, Fairhurst; Buydens, Riordan, Marshall, Sinclair, Cudmore, Kleeberger, O’Toole, Carpenter. Replacements: White for van der Merwe (30 mins), Hamilton for Riordan (47 mins), Franklin for Marshall (52 mins), Hirayama for Fairhurst, Tiedemann for Buydens, Hotson for Cudmore (all 63 mins), Dala for Evans (64 mins).
Referee: Romain Poite (France).
