DAN CARTER’S SIX-MONTH rugby sabbatical ended on a losing note against Hurricanes last weekend. His first start of 2014, however, ended with a win at AMI Stadium, Christchurch. His vital offload for teammate Nemani Nadolo led to Crusaders’ match-clinching try.
The All Blacks out-half started in the No.12 jersey for Crusaders and let Colin Slade keep the kicking tee until the out-half departed on 66 minutes. The home side were trailing 13-11 when Slade left the field of play but a Carter penalty edged his side in front.
Carter was instrumental in the try that secured victory for Crusaders. He took a pass from Andy Ellis, stepped inside his man and offloaded in the tackle to Nadolo, who crashed over for his second try of the game. Carter converted to make it 21-13 and declared, post-match, that he only realised how much he missed the game when he was in the thick of the Super Rugby action.
The match also featured Colin Slade hurtling backwards after his second ill-advised tackle in two weeks. He lost his mouth-guard when attempting to stop the Hurricanes’ Hadleigh Parkes last weekend and repeated the trick when coming off worst in a midfield meeting with Ma’a Nonu.
Meanwhile, Nick ‘Honey Badger’ Cummins scored a try for Western Force in their 30-20 victory over Queensland Reds. Cummins, who is off to Japan for a lucrative club rugby deal at the end of the season, dotted down hisside’s first score and set up Ben McCalman for Force’s second.
