Dan Carter has revealed in his column with theplayerstribune.com that he came close to quitting rugby just 15 months before the 2015 World Cup. Carter had been granted a six month sabbatical from the sport by the All Blacks in 2013, which Carter says was necessary to recharge his batteries in a sport so brutal that injuries were less "a curse so much as an eventuality".
Two weeks before his scheduled Test return with the All Blacks, Carter broke his leg, and it caused him to consider retirement:
For the first time in my life, I began to question my love for this sport. I questioned whether my body could handle it anymore. The critics who had been going on about my age started making more sense to me. All those big plays I’d made during my career seemed like memories now. And I began wondering what kind of legacy I’d leave behind if I were to announce my retirement right then...
So I spent a lot of time that summer pondering my future and what was next. I was fortunate to have a wife who played hockey for New Zealand, and had a deep understanding of my personal feelings as well the psychology of sports. I would tell her that I wanted to retire, that I didn’t think I had the talent anymore. She was my rock and my sounding board during this time, and despite my arguments, kept encouraging me. If it wasn’t for her and my love for the All-Black jersey, I’d probably have long since hung up my cleats.
Carter battled his way back and says his decision to retire after the World Cup was the motivation he needed to rebuild himself and get back to his peak for one final shot of glory. It ultimately worked out perfectly for Carter, he was superb throughout the tournament.
Carter touches on some interesting things in his column, including how much pressure he felt when playing for the All Blacks, the inner doubts and turmoil suffered when a sportsperson cannot trust their bodies to perform, and the nature of the rivalry between Australia and New Zealand:
New Zealand plays the role of little brother to Australia in most affairs. As a Kiwi, you get the sense that they look down on you. They are the one team in the world more than any other that we absolutely don’t want to lose to.
You can read the whole column here.
