Carter's deal a special case, says happy Henry

By DUNCAN JOHNSTONE - RugbyHeaven | Tuesday, 03 June 2008

Graham Henry is delighted with news of Dan Carter's impending deal to stay with New Zealand rugby through to the next World Cup but the All Blacks coach believes criteria needs to be sorted out for the sort of sabbatical his star playmaker seems certain to undertake in France next year.

Carter and the New Zealand Rugby Union are set to announce a ground-breaking deal that will allow the Crusaders pivot to miss next year's Super 14 and take up a highly lucrative short-term deal in Europe.

The big point is that Carter is keen to be involved in the next World Cup in New Zealand in 2011. He's being treated as a special case - the first player granted a breather from the New Zealand game - and Henry believes that's the way it should be for a player of Carter's standing.

But the coach clearly doesn't want to see a rash of players heading away on short-term deals and says measures need to be put in place to control that.

"I think you need to qualify (for a sabbatical). I think there needs to be some criteria ... maybe a number of test matches, longevity in the All Blacks, that sort of thing," said Henry.

"I don't think a guy having a couple of test matches goes off on a sabbatical. The contractors and the agents need to work that sort of thing through.

"But I will say the NZRU has done a superb job in this area with Daniel and his agents have been outstanding as well. They have worked superbly together for an excellent result."

The deal is a move in the right direction in the difficult task of trying to stem the tide of leading players disappearing offshore and being lost to the All Blacks.

Having secured the pin-up boy of New Zealand rugby is a major coup. Henry admitted he had some fears that Carter might have been lost as a flood of top All Blacks headed north over the past year and huge money was stacked next to the first five's name.

"I hoped not but there was always the possibility as you can appreciate," said Henry.

"We are delighted that Daniel is eligible to the All Blacks for the next four years up to the Rugby World Cup in 2011. I think that's great news for New Zealand rugby, outstanding news."

Henry said he wasn't aware of the finer details of the deal and didn't want to comment further until they were confirmed and made public, something that could happen in the very near future. He said he had only spoken to Carter "in passing" about the latest developments.

"He's concentrating on trying to play a test match. Like everybody he's delighted obviously and given that indication very strongly. But we haven't spent a lot of time on it, very little time on it," said Henry as he confirmed Carter in his side to play Ireland in the season-opening test in Wellignton this Saturday night.

Carter and his manager Warren Alcok confirmed the star's intentions to The Press newspaper.

The 26-year-old 46-test veteran said representing his country was his main priority.

"For that reason I have decided to re-sign with the New Zealand Rugby Union, ideally to 2011," Carter told The Press.

"If selected I certainly want to be a part of a successful All Blacks World Cup campaign.

"I have made no final decision about the sabbatical and where I will be, but it should be resolved in the next fortnight or so."

Carter has been strongly linked to a move to newly promoted French club Toulon. Wages and marketing deals could push his earnings well beyond $1m for a six month deal.

"The sabbatical is a positive experience but there is still a lot of work to do in that area," said Alcock.

"Dan is doing his homework on which club he will sign with and he will talk to them this week. There is still a bit of due diligence to be done."

That would mean missing out on defending the Super 14 with the Crusaders next year but Carter still has red and black running through him.

"I want to return in 2010 and 2011 to be part of the Crusaders and Canterbury squads," he said.

There are some obvious dangers in these sorts of deals but clearly, in the current environment, it's time for some desperate measures.

Sabbaticals mean the All Blacks run the risk of having an elite tier of players operating alongside their journeymen and domestic stars.

The selectors also face the new challegne of judging Carter's form in France against players operating in the Super 14 when it comes to picking the national team this time next year.

A deal that allows Carter to play in France next season also opens the possibility of him playing virtually non-stop for more than 18 months, something that flies in the face of the grumblings from players about burnout.