DAN CARTER HAS been impressed by the improvements made since returning to Top 14 with Racing 92.
Carter signed for Perpignan in the 2008-09 season but suffered an Achilles injury and was only able to make five appearances.
Following New Zealand’s 2015 Rugby World Cup triumph, the legendary fly-half joined Racing, and has helped the club to the summit of the Top 14 and the quarter-finals of the European Champions Cup, and he is enjoying his second spell in France.
“I have seen a great improvement in how teams try to play. They are more open and try to attack with the ball. So matches are less restrained,” Carter told Rugbyrama.
“Top 14 is a very demanding competition. Everyone can beat everyone and there are no easy games. The level is very high, and it’s exactly the challenge I came for.”
Racing suffered their first defeat since Carter’s arrival on Saturday, losing 22-5 to Glasgow Warriors, but the 33-year-old – who was rested for the trip to Scotland – is not unduly concerned by that defeat.
“I don’t really care. The season is long and you always learn something from defeats,” he said.
“Everything went very well for us in the last two months. I do not think there is any need to panic after the defeat.”
Carter added that he is enjoying being in Europe on a personal level, with the greater freedom of not being recognised as frequently as in his native New Zealand enjoyable.
“My family and I enjoy life in France. This was a big change, we had to adapt to the French way of life but we really like it,” he added.
“They don’t recognise me all the time either. It is also very refreshing to walk quietly in the centre of Paris without anyone knowing who you are, unlike in New Zealand.”
