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New Zealand’s Dan Carter, who has won two World Cups and is the record scorer of world rugby points, announced his retirement from professional rugby.
The 38-year-old fly-half won the last of his 112 games for the All Blacks with a man-of-the-match display in the 2015 World Cup final victory over Australia.
Since then he has played for French club Racing 92 and Japan’s Kobelco Steelers.
The three-time World Player of the Year returned to New Zealand for a bbrief spell with the Auckland Blues in 2020.
In an emotional post about Instagram, Carter wrote: “I have thought about this so many times, but today is the day and I am so grateful that I can do it on my terms. I am officially retiring from professional rugby. A sport I have played for 32 years.” which has helped me become the person I am today.
“I can’t thank everyone who has played a role in my journey enough, particularly you fans. I’m excited for my next chapter in life and what it will look like to play, but the timing is right. The rugby will always be part of my life. “
In an interview with the Herald of New Zealand, Carter said he had lost motivation on his return home to play for the Blues in June 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“The longer it took me, the more I realized that I didn’t want to play abroad and, having no drive to play here, I knew in my mind that the time was right,” he said.
Carter, which turned out for his Southbridge Children’s Rugby Club In July, he made no appearance for the Blues at Super Rugby Aotearoa last year.
His professional career began in 2002 and he has won three Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders and is the top scorer in the competition, as well as winning league titles in Japan and France.
Carter also won the World Cup in 2011, but missed the final stages of the competition due to a groin injury.
His 1,598 points in international rugby are 352 ahead of England’s Jonny Wilkinson, whom Carter memorably faced and defeated in the 2005 British & Irish Lions series.
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