DAN CARTER, the New Zealand fly-half who has scored more Test points than any other player in international rugby history, could return to top-flight action when the All Blacks take on Scotland at BT Murrayfield on Saturday.
Carter, the IRB world player of the year in 2005 and 2012, chipped a bone in his leg playing for the Crusaders against the Waratahs in the Super Rugby final in August. The 32-year-old, whose 1,448 points for his country is more than 200 more than the haul of Jonny Wilkinson - second in the all-time list - made a cameo appearance as a replacement in the All Blacks' exhibition match against the USA in Chicago earlier this month, but to play against Scotland would be a more intense challenge for the player.
"We are keen for Dan to get significant game time on this tour," said Ian Foster, the All Blacks assistant coach. "Whether he's starting or comes off the bench, he's likely to be there in some form, but for him he's got to just carry on doing what he's doing. He took some good steps in Chicago and I think he got a lot of confidence out of getting back on the park and getting used to the systems.
"It's clearly going to be a pretty significant step up from that, so it's just about getting timing, getting used to the speed of a defence coming at you and getting the focus to give yourself a chance to make the right decisions. Those are the little things that just come from time in the saddle."
Carter's last Test start was against England at Twickenham almost a year ago. He took a sabbatical from rugby earlier this year in order to be in peak form for the 2015 World Cup - he missed the 2011 tournament with a groin injury - so he is known to be keen to get game time before the end of the southern hemisphere season.
Former Waikato coach Foster admitted that he was impressed by Scotland's ambitious style of play against Argentina last Saturday, and that he could see the influence of his fellow New Zealander Vern Cotter in the way they approached the game.
"Vern was at Bay of Plenty during my Waikato days and he did a great job over there," said Foster. "They always used to play a tough, physical game - but he gave them the license to play as well.
"So, I certainly see similarities in some aspects of what they are doing. But he's obviously got a new set of players and he's trying to create the mould for the Scottish group that he's got, and they've got off to a pretty good start."
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