Editorial: We all say welcome back, Carter

The small rural Canterbury town of Southbridge (population 900) does not spring readily to mind in discussions of significant moments in New Zealand sport. But yesterday, as a man called Daniel William Carter took to the field in the colours of the local rugby club, all that changed.

Carter's appearance, at Denton Oval in suburban Christchurch for a hit out against Hornby, was a shot in the arm for community rugby. But it was also the first step in the brilliant pivot's return to the pinnacle of international rugby where he belongs.

Carter's European sojourn with the club side in sunny Perpignan ended abruptly in January with a ruptured Achilles tendon, and he found himself condemned to a long, slow recovery at home. Yesterday's performance, in which he played all 80 minutes for his club Southbridge, provided a welcome ray of sunshine in what has been a fairly dark time for national side. Off-field Carter's better known for his undie ads, but on the park his breadth of vision and range of skills are inspiring and dazzling.

The All Blacks, who have lost only eight games in which Carter featured, have almost become hostages to his brilliance. In his absence, understudies turned in performances that might have seemed meritorious were they not compared with the man whose boots they were filling.

The departures of Nick Evans and Luke McAlister for overseas contracts left the position short of depth and although McAlister is now back, he is now a stranger to the first-five position.

The sooner Dan the Man takes his rightful place at the end of a halfback's pass, the more comfortable New Zealand rugby fans are going to feel.

But we need him to return without further injury more than we need him to return quickly. If we are to win the World Cup in 2011, Graham Henry and his assistants need a fit Carter.