‘This was what I wanted all my life’: Dan Carter on winning the Rugby World Cup

At the age of 39, having spent almost half his life as a professional rugby player, Dan Carter has retired. Dan Carter: My Story by Dan Carter and The Spinoff managing editor Duncan Greive, and published by Upstart Press, was published just days after his man-of-the-match-winning performance in the 2015 World Cup final. Here, the man … Read more

Before Dan: A brief history of all the earlier Blues ring-ins

The arrival of Dan Carter is far from the first time the ever-struggling Auckland team has hoped to turn around its fortunes with a star signing, writes Jamie Wall. New Zealand rugby Twitter is a generally desolate place, especially lately given that there’s been nothing to talk about ever since the season was suspended back … Read more

Dan Carter: A life in undies

In 2014, Duncan Greive was invited to interview Dan Carter on the back of the All Black’s spokesmodelling gig for Jockey underwear – a meeting that would eventually lead to Greive co-writing Carter’s autobiography, My Story. To celebrate today’s big Dan Carter news, we republish that original Metro story here. In 2003, when Dan Carter … Read more

The Bulletin: Another National heavyweight bows out

Good morning and welcome to the first ever edition of The Bulletin, a round up the best and most important NZ news of the day. Sign up here to get The Bulletin direct to your inbox every single morning.  Another National heavyweight is bowing out, a report into referrals of kids to protection services is … Read more

Who let Dan Carter steal the stage at Auckland City Limits?

Grace Jones performed at Auckland City Limits to an enthusiastic crowd. Then Dan Carter appeared and ruined everything. Madeleine Chapman reports. When the end of days arrives and humans are on a slip’n’slide to oblivion, the skies will open, light will beam down from the heavens, and Dan Carter will appear on a big screen … Read more

The most divisive man in New Zealand sport explains himself

“Chris, all we can hope really is that you die in a car accident or in some other similar way. Regards, Dave Smith.” This is an email that arrived in the inbox of New Zealand Herald sports critic Chris Rattue a few days ago. Dave’s oddly polite “regards” aside, it’s nothing out of the ordinary. … Read more

How a corruption scandal in French rugby could be a dark vision of the global game’s future

The corruption allegations levelled at French club Racing 92 could be a sign of things to come in world rugby, says professional player-turned-journalist John Daniell. In 2012 I was tipped off about a story at Racing Metro, a French rugby club I used to play for, now renamed Racing 92 and home to half a … Read more

Analysis: Would Dan Carter’s new side get wasted in Super Rugby?

Dan Carter’s Racing 92 is battling Saracens for the European Champions Cup this weekend. But would either side make the playoffs in Super Rugby? And what does this have to do with dog racing? In the 1980s, dog racing would often, unbelievably, be the first sport covered on the BBC’s flagship midweek sports show, Sportsnight (best theme … Read more

Dan Carter reveals his “disgusting” secret on The Crowd Goes Wild

Tuesday night’s episode of The Crowd Goes Wild featured what is perhaps the greatest interview scoop New Zealand television has ever seen. Madeleine Chapman brings you the hot take. Sadly, no one at The Crowd Goes Wild was even involved. Not Mark, Andrew, Hayley, Chris, James, Makere – not even Huw. Instead, a French reporter … Read more

The Monday Excerpt: Dan Carter’s World Cup dream falls apart on a sunny day in Wellington

In this excerpt from Dan Carter: My Story the All Blacks’ first five details the physical and emotional agony of the injury which ended his 2011 World Cup campaign on rugby league field in Wellington. Taken from Dan Carter: My Story by Dan Carter and The Spinoff editor Duncan Greive, published by Upstart Press and priced at $49.99 … Read more

Picture Special: When John Key Met the All Blacks

Following the All Blacks’ tense victory over the Springboks early on Sunday morning, the New Zealand prime minister did what he does, and, let’s be honest, what many of us would do were we the New Zealand prime minister: he sauntered into the team’s dressing room and chewed on a beer with The Boys. Photographer … Read more