Dan Carter has ignited discussion after participating in a \u201cWinner Stays On\u201d challenge, where he was tasked with choosing between some of the best fly-halves in the modern era.<\/p>\n
In an interview with\u00a0Midi Olympique, the New Zealand legend was presented with head-to-head matchups of elite No.10s and asked to select his preferred playmaker, with each winner progressing to take on the next contender.<\/p>\n
Join RUCK\u2019s Instagram broadcast channel <\/a>and get the latest rugby news straight to your phone.<\/p>\n Farrell dominates early rounds<\/p>\n Carter kicked things off by choosing between Owen Farrell and Finn Russell \u2014 and the England skipper swept that one with ease. Farrell then dispatched the hugely gifted Matthieu Jalibert before facing what Carter felt was a far trickier task: Romain Ntamack. Still, the Saracens man edged the young French superstar.<\/p>\n \u2018Maybe in five or 10 years time\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cOh my god, the future or the legend himself? It\u2019s hard but I\u2019m going to go on experience. What Owen Farrell has done in an England jersey is incredible.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe in five or 10 years, Ntamack will be in the same conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n O\u2019Gara ends Farrell\u2019s run<\/p>\n Next up was an Irish legend. Farrell squared off against Ronan O\u2019Gara \u2014 and that\u2019s where his streak ended, though Carter admitted his decision wasn\u2019t exactly neutral.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve got to go with my mate ROG, he would kill me,\u201d Carter laughed. \u201cHe would be straight on the phone and ring me if I don\u2019t choose him. He\u2019s a points-scoring legend.\u201d<\/p>\n O\u2019Gara also triumphed in the all-Ireland showdown with Johnny Sexton.<\/p>\n \u201cGeez, there\u2019s a bit of rivalry there, but I have to go with my mate ROG again.\u201d<\/p>\n Beauden Barrett sweeps past O\u2019Gara<\/p>\n But the La Rochelle boss met his match when Beauden Barrett appeared on the other side of the bracket.<\/p>\n \u201cPicking an All Black over an Ireland player, it\u2019s not fair. Beaudy lives just down the road from me so he might come knocking on my door if I pick Ronan over Beauden, so I will go Beaudy.\u201d<\/p>\n Barrett vs Larkham: a classic matchup<\/p>\n Barrett then faced an enormous challenge in Wallabies great Stephen Larkham, the heartbeat of Australia\u2019s 1999 World Cup triumph. Still, Carter\u2019s patriotism shone through.<\/p>\n \u201cStephen Larkham\u2019s right there and I had a lot of good rivalries against Stephen Larkham. He was awesome.<\/p>\n \u201cThey both played 15 as well, so both really versatile and could play 10 or 15. It\u2019s hard not to pick a New Zealander, I\u2019m a pretty patriotic person, so I will go Beaudy.\u201d<\/p>\n Does Carter pick himself?<\/p>\n When asked if he\u2019d choose himself over Barrett, the famously humble Carter didn\u2019t entertain it, leaving Barrett to move on to the final clash \u2014 a showdown with Jonny Wilkinson.<\/p>\n Wilkinson takes the crown<\/p>\n It didn\u2019t take long for Carter to make the call.<\/p>\n \u201cI would have to go Jonny. He was just someone I aspired to be like and someone I really respected, so Jonny Wilkinson,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou deliberately put that last otherwise he would have been there most of the time! He was an awesome player.\u201d<\/p>\n Dan Carter Has Picked His Greatest-Ever XV\u2026 Wow<\/p>\n Now, Carter has revealed his\u00a0Dream Team of players\u00a0he admires and respects, combining past teammates and opponents who inspired him throughout his career.<\/p>\n FRONT ROW<\/p>\n 1. Tendai Mtawarira (South Africa)<\/p>\n Known as \u201cThe Beast,\u201d Mtawarira earned\u00a0117 Test caps\u00a0for South Africa. A powerhouse in the scrum, his physicality and leadership were vital to the Springboks\u2019 success during his era.<\/p>\n 2. Dane Coles (New Zealand)<\/p>\n Dynamic and skillful, Coles earned\u00a084 caps\u00a0for the All Blacks. Renowned for his ball-handling, mobility, and work ethic, he was a key figure in New Zealand\u2019s dominant 2010s run.<\/p>\n 3. Olo Brown (New Zealand)<\/p>\n Brown earned\u00a052 caps\u00a0and was celebrated for his scrummaging strength and imposing physical presence, forming the backbone of New Zealand\u2019s front row in the 1990s.<\/p>\n SECOND ROW<\/p>\n 4. Paul O\u2019Connell (Ireland)<\/p>\n Ireland legend O\u2019Connell captained his country to a\u00a0Six Nations Grand Slam\u00a0and earned\u00a0108 Test caps. His line-out dominance and relentless tackling made him a central figure in Ireland\u2019s golden era.<\/p>\n 5. Brodie Retallick (New Zealand)<\/p>\n One of the finest locks of his generation, Retallick has\u00a0132 caps\u00a0for the All Blacks. His athleticism, line-out skill, and physical presence were pivotal to New Zealand\u2019s\u00a02015 World Cup triumph.<\/p>\n CONTINUES ON PAGE TWO<\/a><\/p>\n Like this:<\/p>\n Like Loading…<\/p>\n