Carter lets emotions show after tough win

IN 2011, the lasting image of Dan Carter’s World Cup was the All Black five-eighth lying on the ground in agony, having torn a groin muscle at training that would end his tournament.

In 2015, the image that is likely to linger – for this week at least – is Carter grinning wildly and fist-pumping after helping New Zealand qualify for their second consecutive World Cup final with a hardfought 20-18 victory over South Africa at Twickenham.

The raw emotion of Carter was clear to see in many of the All Blacks’ faces, after they trailed the Boks 12-7 at half-time but controlled the match superbly in wet conditions in the second half and squeezed home for the win.

It will give New Zealand the chance to make history as the first team to potentially win three World Cups and the first to win back-to-back tournaments as well.

The final will serve as a fitting farewell to Test rugby for Carter and several other All Black legends – Richie McCaw, Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith – who are all retiring from Test rugby.

Websites lit up post-match suggesting McCaw could be in strife with the judiciary over an alleged elbow to the head of Francois Louw, but among the many innocuous crimes highlighted on social media at this World Cup, this appears to be the softest.

Carter will get the chance to play in his first World Cup final after three previous attempts; early exits in 2003 and 2007 and injury at the last.

It seems hard to believe but Kiwi coaches briefly even considered not taking Carter to the World Cup earlier this year when his form was quiet.

They’d be glad they woke up to themselves in time, because Carter was the difference between winning and losing against the Boks.