Carter back at Racing, covering for Lambie

– Former All Blacks flyhalf and double World Cup winner Dan Carter will rejoin Racing 92 in March to “win the European Champions Cup”, the only competition he’s yet to win, club owner Jacky Lorenzetti said on Sunday.

“It’s the only title he’s missing, he added to his collection with Japan’s Top League in December so why not become a European champion with us?” Lorenzetti said.

“He wanted to come back, we wanted him back, so we came to an agreement very quickly on financial conditions,” he said.

Coach Laurent Travers played down Carter’s impact on the side who face Toulouse in a Champions Cup quarterfinal tie on March 31.

“He’s not Zorro. We’ve always been happy with what he brings to the team but he’s not going to run across the field and ensure we get good possession but he will help us to build,” Travers said.

The French Top 14 club said he would return on a short-term deal from Japanese side Kobelco Steelers until the end of the season as cover for former Springbok flyhalf Pat Lambie who announced his immediate retirement in January after suffering numerous concussions.

Carter, 36, played for the Parisian side for three seasons between 2015-18 when he won the French title but was a runner-up in two European finals.

He scored 445 points in 58 games during his last stint in Paris.

Before that he won New Zealand’s provincial competition with Canterbury and Super Rugby with franchise the Crusaders.

On the international front he twice lifted the World Cup, the Tri-Nations and the Rugby Championship as well as a British and Irish Lions Test series with the All Blacks.

Carter is set for his third contract in the Top 14 having made only five appearances for Perpignan in 2009 because of an Achilles injury and is expected to feature for Racing in their league tie against Bordeaux-Begles in lateMarch.

Racing broadcast a video on the big screen at their home stadium on Sunday saying “Carter is back” seconds before kick-off in their 34-29 league defeat against Toulouse.

The victory allowed the visitors to return to the top of the table. – AFP