'You will definitely be a threat this summer' - Dan Carter praises 'dangerous' England
HOWEVER many England are short when they face New Zealand in the three-Test series in June, the All Blacks will be light of at least their master fly-half Dan Carter.
Instead of playing, Carter is on a six-month sabbatical enabling him to recover from a long-strand Achilles tendon injury. He will not be fit until July and yesterday concluded a three-week world tour in London by booting rugby balls off a Thames barge near Tower Bridge.
It was a publicity stunt in aid of Rugby World Cup sponsors Mastercard that enabled Carter to suggest England as principal contenders when they host the global tournament next year. This judgment may or may not be validated by the impending series.
"England will definitely be a threat this summer and beyond that," he said. "In every World Cup I've been involved in, the host nation has always been a team to look out for. England are very lucky to have that opportunity.
England will definitely be a threat this summer and beyond that
"It's going to be a great series in New Zealand. England are building momentum, getting a strong squad together and building a lot of confidence. They will love to challenge themselves against the best around."
Carter, 32, gained his 100th cap in a truncated appearance when New Zealand won at Twickenham last November and has not played since. He won his first against Wales a week after Martin Johnson's team had won beaten the All Blacks in 2003. Five months later England won the World Cup.
"Having a win in New Zealand would add a lot of confidence to the direction England are moving, so there will be a lot of hype and excitement. That will make for a great Test series," said Carter.
He is too polite. England were described locally as "white orcs on steroids" when they won in Wellington. But this time they know they will be without all their Premiership grand finalists when they set out in Auckland.