July 1, 2005. I sit slumped in a radio studio, crusty sleep in weary eyes. I am a producer and traffic announcer for Newstalk ZB in Wellington.
The job starts early and it’s mind-numbingly boring. Nothing ever happens on the road. I actually lose the gig when something does. Later I would announce a death on air. Bugger the newsroom, I am young and dumb – I have to have to have my Simon Dallow moment.
The phone rings a lot. It’s the only thing that keeps you awake. Typically it’s old ladies complaining.
“It’s New Zealand, not New Zzaland.”
“Can you turn the ads down?”
A red light flashes to warn you of impending calls. Ten minutes before this shift finishes, the red light erupts. After multiple rings, I reluctantly lift the receiver.
“Hello, Adam from Newstalk ZB, how can I help you?”
“Yeah, I got a couple of tickets to the Lions test I am looking to get rid of. Can you broadcast that on air?”
“No. They’re mine.”
This is a hot ticket. For the first time in New Zealand history tickets to a sporting event are sold by a ballot. I don’t care that I am a poor student, I must snaffle this chance. I scrounge around and eventually find the required $250 – a small bloody fortunate in my world.
The atmosphere at the Westpac Stadium is electric. The weather is balmy. The yellow seats are engulfed by red.
The Lions were steamrolled in the first Test, but spin doctor Alistair Campbell warns the British are resolute and ready. This is a bloke who fooled the whole of England into believing there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. This king of deception could convince Barnardos to employ Charles Manson. His overtures make me very nervous.
The anxiety is heighted almost immediately when Welshman Gareth Thomas scores a try – a scorching angled-burst through the heart of the All Black defence.
The All Blacks struggle early, but after about 15 minutes Carter takes over. He fends off Gavin Henson – the fake tan is removed from that prima donna’s face – and Tana Umaga scores. An avalanche commences.
The All Blacks triumphed resoundingly, 48–18. Carter scored two tries, five penalties, and four conversions. He ended the match with 33 points, passing the previous All Blacks record of 18 points in a Lions Test (Carter’s second-half total of 22 points by itself was sufficient to top this).
The performance was later described by The Guardian as “the definitive fly-half display of the modern era”.
Wynne Gray, writing in The New Zealand Herald, described it as a “magic carpet ride”.
In June 2003, Carter made his All Blacks debut at age 21 in Hamilton. He scored 20 points against a mediocre Wales. We knew he was good, but did we really expect a magic carpet ride?
As John Davidson noted, “He’s won every accolade there is”.
“…twice IRB player of the year, twice Super Rugby player of the year, all-time Super Rugby and international top point scorer, Super Rugby champion with the Crusaders four times, Top 14 champion with Perpignan in 2009, slayer of the Lions in 2005, Tri-nations, Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup champion countless times.”
In 112 Tests Carter was on the winning side 99 times. Only 23 times did he fail to score double digits.
There were naturally speed bumps along the way. A broken leg, a fragile groin and a dodgy knee caused consternation.
The injures especially hampered Carter’s ability to attack the line with his usual gusto. He scored a world record 29 tries by a first-five, but remarkably his last five-pointer in a Test was against Scotland in 2010.
He has appeared in 35 of the last 68 All Black Tests. It’s a tribute to Carter’s strength of character and the selectors’ faith in him he was able to play so imperiously at this World Cup.
He might not run with the same exuberance, but there were certainly glimpses of the old flair.
Carter is a masterful tactician. He is more watchful in seniority, navigating the team coolly like a puppet master.
His drop goals were an empathic middle finger to his critics. His drop kicking was seen as an apparent weakness – no more.
Carter is the complete footballer.
God I am happy I picked up the receiver that day a decade ago. What a treat to witnesses the greatest from the greatest in the flesh.
Daniel William Carter, it has been a magic carpet ride.
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