Carter compared to ageless NFL star
Gatland, who is busy preparing the Chiefs for Super Rugby Aotearoa, is a man of his word and happy to heed his own advice around the compromise factor.
Despite returning to New Zealand, from 12 years coaching Wales, to take on the head coaching role with the Chiefs, Gatland will lead the British and Irish Lions on their scheduled 2021 tour of South Africa.
If that tour is pushed back from early July to fit into a new
Warren Gatland
international window of October in a revamped global calendar, he said the Lions will adjust.
‘‘I’m conscious of what’s best for the game and if it does get pushed back a little bit we have to deal with that,’’ Gatland said.
‘‘It’s making sure that we find the right spot for when the Lions fit into the calendar.’’
Gatland, who was also in charge on the Lions’ previous two tours, to Australia and then New Zealand, said the lucrative tours were
hugely important to the southern hemisphere for revenue and to the northern hemisphere players who crave pulling on the Lions jersey.
‘‘It does generate a huge amount of money for the country that’s hosting the Lions in that year,’’ he said.
‘‘It’s really important for South Africa and I know they are desperate for it to go ahead but if it means we have to move some dates then we have to be flexible on that.’’
Reportedly on the table at the
June 15 meeting will be an option to contest the Six Nations and the Rugby Championship at the same time in March and April 2021 with a test window then running between October and November.
Under one reported proposal, European leagues would start in January with an eight-week block before breaking for the Six Nations.
How Super Rugby fits into that and what shape that competition takes post-Covid-19 remains unknown.
Leon MacDonald understands better than anyone the value of having a Dan Carter in your squad when you’re about to undergo what might be the toughest 10-week schedule in rugby history.
It’s why he made the call he did to his one-time Crusaders and All Blacks team-mate whom he labels ‘‘our Tom Brady’’ in reference to the 40-year-old quarterback legend still throwing pinpoint passes as he enters his third decade in the NFL.
Brady played in nine Superbowls in 20 seasons with the New England Patriots, winning six of them.
Like Brady,
Carter still thirsts to contribute at the top echelons of his game at a time when most of his peers have long hung up their boots. It’s why when MacDon- ald had a hole to fill in his squad (in-form fullback Stephen Perofeta suffered a foot fracture in training), he thought of the two-time World Cup winner.
Luckily for all concerned, the circumstances lined up.
Carter was off contract after his final season in Japan ended prematurely thanks to the virus. He is not yet ready to hang up the boots just yet. He and his family are living in Auckland and linking up with the Blues presented the least disruption there. As rugby options go, this is as good as it gets right now. And, of course, in the Blues, and his old mate MacDonald, he had a willing suitor.
This time money was no sort of a factor either, with Carter evidently happy to come on board for the prescribed replacement player rate of around $1800 a week.
‘‘It definitely wasn’t the money. He’s not getting rich doing it,’’ said MacDonald when asked about Carter’s motivations for re-entering the Super Rugby arena five years since his last appearance there. ‘‘His heart is in the right place. You know why he’s playing — he’s doing it because he’s giving back.’
As it stands the Blues don’t need to throw Carter into the fray. They have Beauden Barrett, Otere Black and Harry Plummer who cover 10, as well as one or two other spots, very well indeed. Right now they’re all fit and jumping out of their skin.
But in Carter they have possibly the world’s best backup plan. If Barrett or Black falls over, they have a general to slot in at No 10. Plus, as Barrett finds his feet with his new franchise, he has in fellow former world player of the year Carter, the ideal mentor.
‘‘He’ll be great for us,’’ added MacDonald. ‘‘He’s already a great sounding board. He’s got a level head, he’s selfless, a no-ego type person the younger guys feel very comfortable to come have a chat with. One of the big values of our team this year is we talk about loving the game.
‘‘I think Dan really epitomises that. He’s our Tom Brady. He just doesn’t stop. He’s still a great athlete and still got a lot to give.’’
‘‘If there’s any chance ever to start from a blank sheet of paper, now is the only opportunity.’’