Dan Carter Reveals How He Could Have Ended Up Playing for Ireland

Things could have panned out very differently for Dan Carter.

The All Black is viewed as one of the greatest players of all-time and an extract from his book has revealed that he came very close to moving to Ireland and pulling on a green jersey.

In the early days of professionalism and Carter’s career, a family friend had discovered that he had some Irish roots and he was offered a semi-professional contract here and a chance to play for Ireland.

“I was now a professional rugby player. Super Rugby players earned $65,000 a year as a base salary – a vast sum for a small-town boy like me. That came on top of the $10,000 a year base salary I was getting from Canterbury,” he wrote.

“I signed that deal for three years, which seemed pretty amazing for me at the time. I was still surprised that anyone wanted to pay me for playing the sport that I loved.

“In three years’ time, when I was an All Black and was starting to be pretty well known, that $10,000 contract would look like a bargain.

“I also didn’t have anyone advising me yet. Remember that rugby was still a baby when it came to professionalism. Along with the Canterbury contract, I was also offered a deal to play semi-professionally in Ireland.

“A friend of Dad’s was working over there, and had found some Irish blood which allowed me to turn out for them. Luckily the Canterbury deal was a little closer to home, otherwise who knows what colour jersey I’d have ended up wearing?”

Things could have panned out very different indeed.