Rugby: Dan Carter, the retirement of an All Blacks legend
New Zealand rugby player Dan Carter on October 24, 2015 after the All Blacks won against South Africa at Twickenham Stadium in London, during the 2015 World Cup. REUTERS - Toby Melville
Text by: Nicolas Bamba Follow
6 min
Dan Carter is done with his long career as a rugby player.
At almost 39 years old, the New Zealand opening half announced his retirement this Saturday, February 20.
Double world champion, three times named best player in the world, the former playing master of the All Blacks marked his generation.
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Among the gems New Zealand has produced in rugby, it is one of the brightest.
One of the best known around the world too.
We only have to measure the extent of the tributes paid to him this Saturday, February 20, since the announcement of his retirement from sports.
Daniel William Carter, better known by the simple name of
Dan Carter
, hung up his boots.
He announced it on social media:
“
I am officially retiring from professional rugby today.
A sport that I played for 32 years and that has helped me become the person I am today.
I cannot thank enough everyone who played a role in my journey, especially you, the supporters.
Rugby will always be part of my life.
Thank you.
"
I officially withdraw from professional rugby today.
A sport I've played 32 years which has helped shape me into the person I am today.
I can't thank everyone who has played a part in my journey enough, particularly you, the fans.
Rugby will always be a part of my life.
Thank you.
pic.twitter.com/HTJl85ZcRB
- Dan Carter (@DanCarter) February 20, 2021
2015, "a fairy tale"
The opener, who will celebrate his 39th birthday on March 5, stops there, 17 years after his professional debut for Canterbury, the rugby union team of his native New Zealand.
If his career led him to play also in France for Perpignan briefly (2008-2009) and Racing 92 (2015-2018), as well as in Japan with the Kobelco Steelers (2018-2020), it is above all with the New Zealand selection that Dan Carter wrote the most beautiful pages of its history.
In 2011, the All Blacks, at home, once again became
world champions against France (8-7)
.
They were chasing this second coronation since 1987. Dan Carter is epic, but with a lot of frustration: injured during the first round, he missed a large part of the competition.
On the other hand, the opening half was present in 2015 in England for the new world title of the Blacks.
Indispensable, he greatly participates in the
success in the final against Australia (34-17)
with 19 points scored on his own.
Imperial, he even offered himself the luxury of trying and succeeding in his last transformation ... with his right foot, he the left-handed one!
"
I had the feeling that all the hard knocks I had known until then made sense in this moment, and nothing could stop me!
(...) It took me 2003, 2007 and 2011 to, personally, beyond defeats or injuries, for my last match as All Black, to play a major role in the final to really feel like part of a team that wins the World Cup.
A fairy tale !
», He recalls in the columns of
L'Équipe
.
New Zealanders Richie McCaw (left) and Dan Carter (right) lift the Webb Ellis trophy symbolizing their title as Rugby Union World Champions on October 31, 2015 at Twickenham Stadium in London.
AP - Christophe Ena
"The right time to quit"
2015 was undoubtedly the year of its peak.
In addition to this second world champion title, Dan Carter is named, for the third time in his career after 2005 and 2012, best player in the world (only his compatriot Richie McCaw does so well: 2006, 2009 and 2010).
It was on this Webb Ellis cup raised in Twickenham, the temple of rugby in London, that Dan Carter retired from international work.
A start at the top for the man with 112 selections.
Back home, with the Auckland Blues, in June 2020, the best scorer in the history of rugby all nations (1,598 points with the All Blacks) did not finally take up this ultimate challenge.
“
I play this sport to try to be the best player on the pitch.
For that, you have to dive 100% into the battle.
I realized that I didn't have the same willpower as in my previous seasons in New Zealand.
So, between the moment I understood that, and when I realized that I no longer wanted to travel because of the pandemic, I said to myself that it was the right time to stop,
”explains t he at
L'Équipe
.
What will happen next for the now ex-rugby player?
"
I work on several projects, in which I believe deeply,
" promises Dan Carter.
The New Zealander wants to "
transmit
" his experience and his "
theories on the art of winning
".
At this level, its expertise is indisputable.
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