Beauden Barrett has offered an insight into the nature of Dan Carter's role at the Blues, labelling him a "player coach" whose experience has been invaluable.
Carter's signing with the Blues ahead of the start of Super Rugby Aotearoa this weekend initially raised a few eyebrows – not just from the Canterbury faithful – as to what his role will be at the club and where he would fit in.
But Barrett revealed that the Blues aren't just looking to Carter as a reinforcement on the field, and the All Black great has already been an influential voice right from his first day of training with the team.
"He's been such a steady and experienced voice," Barrett told Newstalk ZB. "The first day I was training out there, I was training alongside him and he was giving me instant feedback which is so good. It's what I need to get better. It's what we all need to get better.
"He's still a few weeks away from being match fit but just his presence, his experience. He's almost a player coach."