From free-and-easy New Zealand to terror-stricken Paris, from multi-garlanded All Black to Racing 92 new boy, Dan Carter stepped into a whole new world on Friday.
From the moment he swept through immigration at Charles de Gaulle airport with his young family at 7am and on to his club’s training complex at Plessy-Robinson on the southern fringes of the city, Carter would have been aware that this is a country that has changed utterly in the past fortnight.
There was an immediate alteration to his schedule with his formal unveiling to the Racing crowd on Saturday now taking place at their Yves-du-Manoir ground, the high-profile match against Stade Toulousain having been switched from the Stade de France which is still out of commission following the attacks a fortnight ago.
Transformation of a different kind is on the mind of the 33-year-old World Cup winner, notably trying to emulate the success enjoyed by Jonny Wilkinson at Toulon, the template for any sportsman looking to immerse themselves in an alien culture.
Wilkinson won two European Cups and one Top 14 title and, more than that, captured the hearts of the Toulon faithful to the extent that they considered him one of them, the Great Redeemer of the Cote d’Azur. He is a hard act to follow but Carter intends to give it his best shot.
“I can only dream of the success that Jonny had in his time here in France,” said Carter, battling jet-lag but buoyant in front of a huge media throng, despite having to ring through several times at the gate to the training compound to get admittance.
“That would be amazing. He won multiple European championships, he won the Top 14 too and he had an amazing time here in France.
“When I was following the end of his career, I took inspiration from that. A lot of people had probably written him off up until then but it revived his career and he finished on a real high.”
Carter as Messiah in the Wilkinson mould was certainly in the thinking of the Racing hierarchy when they persuaded the world’s top points-scorer to end his international career with New Zealand and sign a €3 million, three-year deal with a club who are chasing glory as one of the moneyed arrivistes on the French scene.
Carter follows Ireland fly-half Jonathan Sexton (and the likes of Jamie Roberts) into the Parisian fray, charged with helping to win silverware for a club who have won only five French titles in their history, the last of them in 1990.
There has been much soul-searching in these parts since the dreadful events of Nov 13, and Carter himself admitted that he and his wife Honor had to weigh up things, all the more so as they have uprooted themselves with their two young sons, Marco, two, and nine-month-old Fox.
“I guess it’s never easy coming from such a safe and secure place like New Zealand,” said Carter. “My first thoughts were that I was just shocked with what happened and at first I didn’t even think about my future here or contemplating whether to come, my immediate thoughts were with the people of Paris.
“We talked to some great people who knew a lot of information and everyone we talked to gave us so much reassurance. It gave us the confidence that life has gone on here after that. It’s probably harder for the friends and family who you’re leaving behind. It’s tough for them, but I’m sure they’ll be over here visiting in no time.
“It’s important that life continues. I am still just as excited about coming and starting a new chapter here as I have always been.”
Carter clocks on for training on Monday, with tentative plans aired for a barbecue at his home in nearby Meudon for his new team-mates “so that they can help with the unpacking”. He plans to “immerse myself fully” in French life, and is already booked in for language lessons.
Carter has also been in touch with Racing backs coach, former Ireland fly-half Ronan O’Gara, and has targeted Racing’s home game of the back-to-back European fixtures against Northampton on Dec 12.
Carter has already had a French sojourn, his six-month stint with Perpignan in 2008-09 ending in tears when he ruptured his Achilles after only five games. This project has an entirely different feel to it.
“It certainly has, the contract is longer and international rugby is behind me,” said Carter, who signed off for the All Blacks with a 19-point haul in the World Cup final against Australia just four weeks ago.
“That chapter of my life is closed. I did have a few doubts about my body at the start of the year but the World Cup has been so reassuring. I have high expectations every time I put on my boots.
“I love this game so much that I don’t want it to stop.”
