Dan Carter wants to bring World Cup joy to Christchurch

Pa
Tuesday 22 March 2011 11:31 GMT
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New Zealand fly-half Dan Carter believes the earthquake which rocked Christchurch last month will act as a spur for the All Blacks to win this year's World Cup on home soil.

The quake, which hit on February 22 and measured 6.3 on the Richter Scale, devastated Carter's home city and killed more than 180 people.

World Cup organisers have already been forced to move matches away from the city's AMI Stadium, where Carter was training with Super 15 side the Crusaders at the time of the quake, due to the significant damage to the ground.

Carter described the scenes in the aftermath of the tragedy as "crazy disturbing" but is hopeful he can help bring some joy to his homeland, and his local Cantabrians, by lifting the Webb Ellis trophy in October.

"That all does add an extra significance to the World Cup to an extent," he told The Daily Telegraph.

"To win it would bring a lot of joy to people who've known tough times recently.

"There's motivation to have a big year.

"Cantabrians are rugby fanatics and for us not to have any World Cup games is just more depressing news for the people here.

"Obviously, it's been done for the right safety reasons but it's really sad."

Carter is in London this week for the Crusaders' rescheduled match against South African side the Sharks, which will be played at Twickenham in a first for Super Rugby, and recalled the moment that the quake struck.

"I was going to take a shower when, suddenly, there was violent shaking and we just had to get out there as fast as we could," he said.

"Outside, we realised it had been a bad one and that we had to get home quick but it was only when I jumped into the car that I realised the extent of the devastation.

"It's something I'll never forget; the shock on people's faces, all the traffic lights out, water gushing out in the streets, cracks in the road, traffic jams.

"It was a pretty scary time."

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