All Blacks injured fly-half Dan Carter asks his team-mates to be alert while facing France
The injured All Blacks' fly-half, Dan Carter, who will be watching the match as a spectator, has cautioned his team-mates to be vigilant while facing the uneven French side this coming Sunday. Talking to journalists on October 20 about their forthcoming
clash against the Less Bleus, he declared their opponents a dangerous side and asked his fellow players to give full respect to their rivals.
All Blacks are meeting with France in the grand final of Rugby World Cup 2011, on October 23, in Auckland. Dan Carter has not forgotten their previous play-off debacle at the hands of France when they were ruled out of RWC 2007 in the quarter final stages.
Dan Carter was one of the key players of All Blacks when they started off their world showpiece campaign on September 9. Unfortunately, he fell prey to a groin injury just a day before their pool match against Canada and was ruled out from whole tournament
after medical reports. However, Carter can still feel the expectations of their most important match after the final of RWC 1987.
Talking about the crucial match against France, Carter said that a tough encounter is expected when the sides stand toe-to-toe in Auckland. He added that, “It's a very exciting situation that we're in, a final against France. They're such a dangerous side.
Especially when their backs are against the wall and having a lot of doubters, that's when they step up and they've shown that in 2007 and also in 1999 (when they beat New Zealand in the semi-finals).”
The fly-half also stated that, “We have to expect the unexpected. The French are the best at doing something to surprise us so the guys realise that we're in for a huge challenge, at World Cups teams come out and have heroic performances.”
Carter also expressed his deep disappointment of missing the special event of playing the biggest match of his life. Expressing his anger on being ruled out from the early stages Webb Ellis Trophy, fly-half said that he wanted to put out the bitter memories
of RWC from his mind.
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