Daniel Carter, off target, out of form? Or just an off game . . .?

Question

Daniel Carter, off target, out of form? Or just an off game . . .?

Answer 1

Just an off day.  His running and organising were on target and his touch kicks were great.

Answer 2

just and off game..like chris patternson had.

Answer 3

In regards to his goal kicking?

I don't know about today since it could have been swirling winds or something in the stadium (dont know much about Murrayfield) but I noticed his goal kicking accuracy drop significantly just after the Lions toured NZ.

He normally rode a consistant seemingly 95% average but now it is more like 85-90% with the periodic blight like today.

***edit***

Please ignore the guy below me, he is one of a bunch of people that are actually cheering for NZ NOT to win the cup more than they are cheering for their own team to actually win it... but when you support a team like Wales and are constantly in a state of disappointment, I can see how this would happen.

I cant see how stomping the living daylights out of Italy and putting a 40 point smashing on Scotland while running up the only century in the tournament is a sign of choking, but when you live in the state of delusion, things must look different.

The comment about "any team in the top six" beating NZ today... I don't really see what he means since that is true about all 365 days of the year... although I have to note that his assessment would eliminate any chance of a Welsh win today... there's some confidence for you.

It's just sad really.

nonenzedder, you'd think so... and yet you aren't... you are entirely focussed on NZ.  Also, I never said you should be jealous of anything... as per normal, your one eyed hatred has blinded you my friend.  Keep surfing the net for things to complain about towards NZ.  Like I said... it's just sad really.

P.S. Fiji have never beaten NZ... that's something Wales will probably be jealous of in a couple days HAHAHAH

Answer 4

usually the players are allowed to practise kicking with the same stlye match ball but the ball used in the game is not the regular style ball it has a thicker middle,as you noticed scottland drop kick attempt rite in front pulled to the left,it takes more than one kick to adjust to its shape

Answer 5

Just an off day with the boot - a lot of attempts from out wide in what the commentators suggested was a 'swirling wind'.

Give the guy a break! I'd give him a 7/10 for his performance - not allowed to excell because of some average play in the 2nd half by the team as a whole.

If Sivivatu had converted his 2 cross-kicks into trys (which he should have with at least one) he'd have had an even better game.

What often goes unnoticed is his excellent defence - how many times do you see the opposition bust through the 10 channel when he's playing - hardly ever.

Answer 6

Carter just had an off day with the boot. To be fair most of his kicks were wide out and he also looked quite relaxed and wasn't really focussed.

Hawkeye you are a legend mate, keep these posts coming.

Nonenzedder - I'm not even sure it is worth addressing you but I will anyway. Rugby didn't go professional until AFTER the 95 WC so by your justification only australia and south africa have won it "fair and square". Wales haven't actually made it out of the QF's since the game has gone pro, so you have nothing to crow about son.

Answer 7

He has been out of form for a while...New Zealand have peaked and looked very average today..any team in the top six could have beaten them.

NZ should get knocked out in Cardiff in a few days in the quarters..against france or argentina etc as they havent really had any tough games.

It's looking freakingly pre-choke at the moment nzedders....

Mwhahahahaha!!!!

Hawkeye..I am trying to work out what it is that newzealand has ever won - that i am supposed to be jealous of?

One amature world cup - when the allblacks were the only professional team in the competition? Surely if I was jealous...I would be more jealous of Australia, South Africa or England who at least have won it fair and square - in the professional era?

Answer 8

The pundits can wail all they like about the need to let the man be and let him come right in his own time, but the fact remains the player who has already been anointed the greatest New Zealand five-eighth to have laced up a pair of boots is off his game. Has been for a while now, actually.

It certainly didn't help the All Blacks, who stalled after 55 minutes and spluttered their way home to a most undignified 15-20 Bledisloe Cup defeat to the fast-finishing Wallabies.

Out of the loss has come the inevitable navel-gazing and one question is being asked louder than all the rest: Just what the heck is wrong with DC?

He sleep-walked through the Super 14 (or the bit of it he was required to front in), has had bothersome injuries to shake off and has made the most undistinguished of starts to his 2007 test season. Even against Canada, when he grabbed a second-half hat-trick with a clinical display of finishing out wide, he wasn't performing the intrinsic tasks of his game with any real efficiency.

In fact, it's no stretch to say that, right now, if you were picking on pure form, Nick Evans might be worthy of the black No10 jumper.

That's not to say that Carter's place in the All Blacks is under any sort of threat. It's not.

After studding the last three seasons with an array of virtuoso performances, he has the unconditional backing of his management. They know that, when he's at his best, there is simply no one on this planet who can live with him. And they're clearly prepared to wait to see that sort of form in Rugby World Cup.

Yet All Blacks attack coach Wayne Smith has been willing to concede that something is definitely off kilter in the Carter game.

"People look at the obvious things like the kick out on the full, the missed goal-kicks and correlate that as a poor performance," Smith has told the Sunday Star-Times.

"But you're also reliant on the boys around you. There are a lot of other things that we have got to make improvements on, and they are a big part of Daniel getting back to his absolute best."

Smith has been convinced Carter's attitude in training would return him to the top of his game.

"He's the best I've ever coached, and he's got the biggest work ethic of anyone I've ever coached. You've just got to admire that. He never takes any shortcuts.

"He's highly talented, but he hones that skill as well. I just feel really lucky to have him in the All Blacks."

"Anyone who works so hard, and is so d**n tough, they're only going to be off their best for a short time. Even by his own admission he'd say he's not at his very best at the moment. But it's still bloody good to have him. He's an honest kid, he works bloody hard and I think you'll see he'll be fine.

"He'll be at his best when you need him to be at his best."

The man who previously held the tag of "greatest All Black five-eighth of all time" agrees. In fact, Grant Fox can't see what all the fuss is about.

"I don't buy into the concern at all," says the 1987 world cup-winner.

"I don't think Dan's playing badly, though he's not at the top of his game either."

Former All Black Frank Bunce suggested this week that Carter may need a break. But Fox believes the opposite is probably the case, with the champion playmaker having had a minimum of football in 2007 thanks to the reconditioning programme.

"He's trying so d**n hard. He's trying to force the issue,"  Fox said.

"He'd be better just to let it come, don't try to force it. It'll come, and it'll come with games. He needs more time and he's got to work through it.

"He's putting too much pressure on himself. He needs to be the DC we all seem to recognise as a character who's pretty laid-back. Maybe he's got to find that character again."

Fox has pointed out that Carter was a victim of the outrageously high standards he had set for himself.

"We expect Daniel to put in world-class performances week-in, week-out, but that's just not reality. You can really only perform at your absolute peak three or four times a year - the rest are going to be about 90 per cent of that capacity. And very occasionally you're going to have one below that and that's maybe what he's going through at the moment."

Carter himself has said he had been "frustrated" this season, with injuries (neck and shoulder, more latterly his ankle) not helping the cause as he has seemingly struggled to get out of second gear.

"I don't think I've strung two or three games together in a row this season and that isn't ideal. I still see that I've got a long way to go yet."

And Smithy is sure of one thing. No one will be trying harder to regather the touch than Carter, whom he says is finally fully fit.

"He's just got to keep doing that and we've just got to support him. I just can't see him panicking at all"

"Nor should he, and nor should any of us panic. He'll do what he knows works, do it bloody well and the results will come."

Carter knows only too well it's the results that really count.  The results are the things we should really measure him by.

Answer 9

Very Good players can have an off day but 'DAN" HASNT KICKED AS GOOD IN MY OPINION  since he broke his leg?? maybe that is a factor and also they didnt have the right ball to play with against the Scotch  but believe me there isnt a better first five anywhere in the world, Wilkinson   and      LATHAM    included .

Answer 10

Out of form - that's been my general impression of Carter ever since the Tri Nations.

He's still a very effective player when he's out of form though. I guess game time is the only way he'll get back to his best.

Answer 11

Everyone gets bored.

DC is no exception - honestly, you travel to the other side of the world for the big dance in France and Scotland say - "um  err B team for you - we have to concentrate on making it through to the second round  - so umm err B team for you fellas."

But I don't blame the Scots - it's the WC - devaluing test match rugby.

Hawkeye - mate don't bother. nonenzedder simply is not worth the effort - think most people have worked that one out.

Six tries in a training run that was more about mauling and training to bring our scrum into the game - and suddenly we are choking !

I'm hoping Wales go through just to watch RSA smash them into tiny wee bits in the quarter - even though my money has been on Fiji for months.

Answer 12

Hes bluffing.

Ive seem him kick goals under pressure.