Dan Carter would be forgiven for strutting into Racing 92’s headquarters with every single medal he was won strung around his world-beating neck.
Not a hint of it.
New Zealand’s World Cup-winning out-half and the current World Rugby Player of the Year arrived for his first day with the Top 14 side and told his new teammates he’d need all the help they could give.
“My priority is not to win games by myself,” he said. “My priority is to fit in as best I can with this team and as quick as possible.”
Carter added, “It’s not always going to be perfect. There are going to be mistakes; some missed kicks.”
“Sorry guys,” he then joked to his coaches Laurent Labit and Laurent Travers.
Les premiers pas de @DanCarter au Racing 92 ! #WelcomeDan #RacingFamily pic.twitter.com/xFncQXEolb
— Racing 92 (@racing92) November 27, 2015
Another of Carter’s new coaches is Ronan O’Gara. The former Munster out-half is Racing’s skills, kicking and defence coach.
A discussion with O’Gara sparked a novel idea for Carter to get properly introduced to his teammates.
“I was speaking with Ronan,” he said, “and told him I was keen to get up to speed with some of the players.”
The great men settled upon the idea of a Sunday BBQ.
Carter got briefly carried away with the notion. He joked with reporters, “I’ve got so many boxes to unpack that you’re all invited.”
