Dan Carter: All Black great retires from professional rugby

New Zealand's Dan Carter, who won two World Cups and is world rugby's record points scorer, has announced his retirement from professional rugby.

The fly-half, 38, won the last of his 112 All Blacks caps with a man-of-the-match display in the 2015 World Cup final win over Australia.

He has since played for French club Racing 92 and Japan's Kobelco Steelers.

The three-time world player of the year returned to New Zealand for a brief spell with the Auckland Blues in 2020.

In an emotional post on Instagram, Carter wrote: "I've thought about this on so many occasions but today is the day and I am very grateful that I can do it on my terms. I'm officially retiring from professional rugby. 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. I'm excited about my next chapter in life and what that will look like. For now, I'm sad to walk away from playing but the timing is right. Rugby will always be a part of my life."

In an interview with the New Zealand Herald, Carter said he had lost his motivation on his return home to play with the Blues in June 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"The more I took time off the more I realised I didn't want to play overseas and not having the drive to play here I knew in my mind the time was right," he said.

Carter, who turned out for his childhood rugby club Southbridge in July, did not make an appearance for the Blues in Super Rugby Aotearoa last year.

His professional career started in 2002 and he has won three Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders and is the competition's record scorer, as well as winning league titles in Japan and France.

Carter also won the World Cup in 2011, but missed the latter stages of the competition due to a groin injury.

His 1,598 points in international rugby are 352 ahead of England's Jonny Wilkinson, who Carter memorably came up against and defeated in the 2005 British & Irish Lions series.

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37 comments

Butcher boy your talking through your A***. Best ever full stop. Watched him many times in my time down under for the crusaders and the all blacks. Pure class
Best 10 to have ever played the game and a very decent Centre also. Two World Cups and 112 caps for the All Blacks confirm him as an all time great. He was the standout player go the 2005 Lions tour and single handedly destroyed the Lions in the second test with arguably one of the greatest individual performances ever. The most complete 10 ever with his incredible versatility. A true Legend.
The lack of disparaging comments says it all really. On most HYS's there will be people who find fault no matter what.
The fact that the comments here are 100 % saying what a great player and a great individual bears testimony to how Dan is regarded throughout the rugby world. He's earned the respect of all nationalities. Great player, great man.
Dan you are a true Rugby superstar, enjoy a well earned retirement
Enjoy your retirement and thanks for the memories. As a former 10 I used to love, love, love watching him, making the game look too easy - like he was playing at a different speed from others.

Carter would glide round players but had a turn of pace to hit holes when they appeared. Game management, kicking, distribution and a decent defence - Carter had it all.
At his best he was almost untouchable, had the privilege to see him play in the flesh and even though he destroyed us on the day I just looked on with awe.
'Simply the best, better than all the rest'.

Thanks for sharing your talent with us mere mortals.
I never liked him. He was just too good, too good looking and just a really wise and balanced individual.

Well played Mr Carter
Overrated.
Let's hope he stays in the game in some capacity. As a pundit he could offer some great insight into the game, especially the FH position.
Enjoy your retirement Dan.
He was an outstanding player who took the game to new heights. He has always struck me as being a top, top man off the pitch too.
Greatest player to play rugby. Not only ability but his manner on and off the field, a legend of the game
Was really looking forward to a Lions series victory back in 2005. And then this guy strutted his stuff and all hope dashed. He was phenomenal during that series and has been on several occasions since. One of the all time greats, no doubt.
Once in a while a player comes along and changes the game. Dan Carter is such a player. Arguably the greatest 10 to have ever played the game, he had incredible versatility from his kicking game to attacking playmaker and rock in defence. To play for the length of time that he did with the All Blacks is simply incredible.
Almost certainly the best 10 ever to play the game and in the top 5 all time best players alongside the likes of Gareth Edwards and Richie McCaw.
He's no Jonny Wilkinson.
SA replied:
No- he’s better than Jonny Wilkinson
What a player. Definitely in the greatest ever conversation.
Great player, great bloke, great career, one of the best ever.
World class fly half who played rugby the way it should be played. Probably the greatest number 10 of all time. Happy retirement.