All Blacks: On this form, Carter's not the go-to man

Selectors left wondering about first-five against Wales

Daniel Carter doesn't know whether he did enough in Edinburgh to merit another start in Cardiff this week.

The selectors might feel equally uncertain. There was some good, for 20 minutes there was bad and little pockets of indifference.

On balance, Carter was a marginal pass mark and on the basis he's barely played rugby all year, that's not a bad effort.

But in the context of what is right for the team, it would be a hard sell to suggest Carter should be returned to being the side's premier No10 on the back of his 55 minutes. The good was the way he battled his way through that opening quarter when he couldn't get much to stick in his normally ultra-reliable mitts. He couldn't land his goal kicks, couldn't keep the ball in contact and for that period, his chronic lack of rugby was showing.

He dug in, though. He calmed down and once he relaxed, his comfort on the ball increased; his passing improved and he darted around a little bit, made decisions quicker - if not always better - and looked more like himself the longer the game went on.

Which was a good sign. No one is expecting miracles - just for him to show obvious signs of being on an upward curve.

"As the game went on I felt a lot more comfortable," he said. "That first 20 was pretty scratchy and a lot of mistakes from me personally.

"If I get another chance or even next year, I just have to prove that I can start the game well."

Carter had to battle through a first quarter when his handling was below par and he missed kicks at goal. Photo / Getty

Wales night have been ordinary in large parts against Fiji, but they will do what every side does when they meet the All Blacks and grow another arm and a leg during the week and be a different team.

The Welsh are most definitely capable of winning and the All Blacks have to make the right decision at No10. The development of Carter is important and the selectors would ideally love to give him game time.

But the All Blacks also want to win and could they do that with Carter at the helm? Or is it time to recall Aaron Cruden and have Carter on the bench. Or Carter not in the 23 at all?

The man himself would love the chance to play once more before knocking off for the summer. He'd love one more chance to develop a stage closer to being the player everyone knows he can be.

"Not really," was how he responded when he was asked whether he was happy with his overall game.

"There were a few mistakes. If I get another opportunity, I'd like to rectify those. My option-taking wasn't the best at times and I made a couple of little errors early in in the game.

"I haven't played a lot of rugby. I'll get a better reflection of where I am once I can play six or seven games in a row. I'm making the most of every opportunity I get.

"You have to be realistic but at the same time I have high standards about how I want to play regardless of how much I have played. Every time I wear that black jersey I want to be out there performing well and I probably lacked that a little bit, especially in the first 20 minutes making those uncharacteristic mistakes.

"There are three other first-fives in our squad so I will continue to work hard and leave it up to the selectors."

Key stats

• 3 - Lineouts lost by the All Blacks. The same number were lost against England the previous week.
• 3 - Scotland substitute Geoff Cross conceded three penalties in 50 minutes of action.
• 6 - Scotland made more clean breaks than the All Blacks (6-5).
• 16 - Scottish lock Jonny Gray led the tackle count with 16. Jeremy Thrush (11) was the All Blacks tackle leader.