Dan Carter (Photosport)
If Dan Carter's "light" kicking session on Saturday
had been three kicks at goal rather than four he might still have a
place in the Rugby World Cup.
But in taking that fourth kick, the
key All Blacks first five-eighth injured himself in a way he's never
done before, ruling himself out of the tournament and booting New
Zealand's anxiety levels to new heights.
Carter said he was going
through his usual routine at the captain's run training session the day
before the All Blacks game against Canada when the injury happened.
"I
was actually having a bit of a shorter session than usual. I normally
kick a good 15 or 20 balls during captain's run but I was only having
four this time around, and it was my fourth kick," he said.
"I knew it must have been pretty serious because of the pains and because it was quite unusual.
"I've
kicked thousands of balls. I've been doing this since I was a young
fella and I've never had this happen after kicking a ball."
Carter
was a remarkably calm figure as he fronted media on Monday for the
first time since incurring the country's most talked about groin strain,
but he admitted he was a different man once he knew the full extent of
the injury on Saturday night.
"It's a little bit different behind closed doors - I tend to let my frustration out a lot," he said.
"Obviously
it's pretty gut-wrenching and really disappointing, but I have to get
over that, continue to think positively, and help the guys out in
whatever way I can.
"Moping around's not going to help anyone."
Carter said he had been in text contact with his likely replacement, Colin Slade, encouraging him to seize his chance.
"I feel sorry for him - he's getting a lot of talk comparing the two of us.
"He's a great player and deserves his spot and it's now his opportunity to go out there and play his game."
Carter
will leave the team camp but hopes he can do some work with the team,
possibly researching opponents to look for weaknesses to be exploited.
He said he hoped New Zealanders would move on and keep supporting the team in his absence.
NZN