Super Rugby Aotearoa: Blues coach Leon MacDonald’s ‘relentless’ plea to Dan Carter about the future of the Blues

Dan Carter will not return for the Blues next season, despite protests from coach Leon MacDonald, but he could still appear in the Auckland franchise behind the scenes.

Carter signed for the Blues last season but did not get playing time thanks to Covid-imposed cancellation of Super Rugby Aotearoa’s final clash against the Crusaders, where he was set to make his debut.

While there was never really an expectation that Carter would return as a player to the franchise, that didn’t stop MacDonald from trying to persuade the 38-year-old to come back one more time.

MacDonald ultimately was unsuccessful in his plea to the former All Black No. 10, but is hoping to convince him to help the Blues’ playmakers next season in a non-playing capacity, especially with Beauden Barrett absent on a contract to short term Japan.

“I was pretty ruthless with Dan,” MacDonald said. “It would have been great because it would have given us that experience that we have lost with Beauden Barrett in preparation. He’s on the way, so I hope we see him, even if it’s just with the kickers having some kind of input.”

Carter, 38, retired from international rugby after leading the All Blacks to victory at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

The three-time World Rugby Player of the Year spent three seasons in Paris with Racing 92 before joining the Kobelco Steelers in Japan in 2018.

However, the global pandemic put an early end to national rugby in Japan in 2020 and Carter decided to return to New Zealand to take a role with the Blues in Super Rugby Aotearoa.

Carter said his role with the Blues was always more about coaching and mentoring rather than contributing as a player.

“It wasn’t about me getting on the field,” Carter Carter said in an interview with 66 magazine last month. “It was about helping the team grow and sharing my experience with the youth and the leadership group. I can ‘However, I can’t help myself: I missed rugby.”

If MacDonald has his way, Carter could appear behind the scenes with the Blues once again, but his future as a player remains uncertain with international borders closed.

Carter made three appearances for his childhood club Southbridge this year, which successfully defended their Ellesmere senior competition title with the superstar on board.

Meanwhile, the Blues announced their squad for Super Rugby Aotearoa 2021 this week, which includes 12 current or former All Blacks players and two Samoa World Cup players in their 38-man squad comprising seven rookies.

However, as the Herald first reported, the Blues have made room for an international test star they are in talks with.