He has played 103 tests for the All Blacks over 13 years, but there is still improvement to come from Dan Carter, believes coach Steve Hansen.
Carter, 33, is preparing to play his last test in Christchurch before his move to Paris after the World Cup, but rather than a sense that something is ending, there is more a feeling of new beginnings - partly because of that global tournament getting closer by the day, one in which Carter has yet to taste personal success, and partly because recently he has seemed to be constantly returning from injury.
After getting a solid runout against Manu Samoa under his belt last week, Carter is ready and willing to take his game to a new level and part of that is improving a running game which was flickering back to life last year only to be snuffed out by his leg injury suffered while playing for the Crusaders in the Super Rugby final over the Waratahs in Sydney.
Hansen called Carter a "special player" today after naming his team to play Argentina at AMI Stadium on Friday, but even the All Blacks coach admitted soon afterwards: "If he starts to get his running game back again then we know he's really back."