Cape Town Tens gets Carter!
Wed, 28 Jan 2009 15:50
Eyeing a second French season: All Black Dan Carter
The inaugural Cape Town Tens rugby tournament continues to break new ground, with the organising committee revealing on Wednesday that star All Blacks flyhalf Dan Carter - the world's best rugby player - will serve as the event's ambassador.
Carter, like fellow All Blacks player Kees Meeuws, will form part of the management team of the adidas/Sports Illustrated Legends team, which will be competing in the premier league of the Cape Town Tens - joining former internationals Leon Lloyd, Eddie Evans, Matt Phillips and Willie Lose in the star-studded selection.
"I've heard plenty about this format of the game and that's a big attraction for me - watching a new brand of rugby and, of course, meeting a whole bunch of new people in a great city," said Carter ahead of the CT Tens, which is to be held at Hamilton RFC on February 7 and 8.
"Cape Town is one of my favourite cities, so it's great to be going there on a more social level for once," he added.
"My involvement with adidas and the launch of the new Torpedo X-treme ball is another reason that I'm making the trip, but it was also hard to say no to a weekend of sunshine in Cape Town - it's pretty cold back in France!
"I guess it could be a bit weird being in Cape Town and not preparing for a big Super 14 game or a Test match, but it's a great time to visit and I'm really looking forward to the trip."
Aside from his role as a Cape Town Tens ambassador, and his management duties with the above-mentioned adidas/Sports Illustrated Legends team, Carter is also looking forward to the launch of the new and improved adidas Torpedo X-treme ball - the official tournament ball of the Cape Town Tens.
"It really is a great ball," enthused Carter. "Myself and (All Blacks kicking coach) Mick Byrne have done a lot of work trying to help adidas develop this ball and I honestly believe they've done a fantastic job.
"adidas are very keen to compete with all the other ball manufacturers out there and make theirs the best there is - and I think that's exactly what they've achieved."
Whilst Carter would normally be spending the month of January preparing for the Super 14, the Kiwi points-machine currently finds himself at French club Perpignan where he is enjoying a rugby sabbatical from his homeland. And with the French Top 14 set for a break at the start of the Six Nations, the timing for a trip to Cape Town could not be more perfect.
"It's been a great move," he said of his first few weeks at the Catalan club, adding: "I'm really happy with my decision and I'm absolutely loving my time in France.
"I've been playing Super Rugby for six seasons already, it's good to get away and do something different from a rugby-playing point of view, whilst the lifestyle in France was also an attraction for me," he explained.
"I wanted a change and it's exactly what I've got; moving from New Zealand to France - you couldn't get more different in terms of lifestyle."
But Carter will be back in New Zealand for their 2009 Test season and, of course, is once again set to don the red and black of the Crusaders in 2010 - a team whose fortunes he will be following closely from France.
"I've managed to get hold of a Sky TV package at my place in France, so I'll be certainly be keeping an eye on the Super 14," revealed Carter, a veteran of 58 Tests for the All Blacks.
"The Crusaders are in something of a transition with Robbie Deans no longer there, but they've got some exciting young coaches in Toddy Blackadder, Daryl Gibson and Mark Hammett and I'm sure they'll all do a great job."
The Super 14, however, is a different story altogether. For now, It's Tens Time for Dan Carter. And the gifted Kiwi could not be more excited at the prospect of being part of the first-ever Cape Town Tens.
"I've watched Bob and Rob play a fair few bit, but I haven't really played a lot against them, so it will be good to spend some time with them in Cape Town during this exciting venture," he concluded.
* You can join Dan Carter at the 2009 Cape Town Tens on February 7 and 8 at Hamilton RFC in Green Point, Cape Town. CLICK HERE for ticketing information.
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