All Blacks great Dan Carter [right] with Richie McCaw [Source: Twitter]

All Blacks great Dan Carter has revealed his personal torment with the Rugby World Cup.

This is after an emotional roller coaster in his four appearances at the game’s showpiece tournament.

He made his World Cup debut in 2003 when the All Blacks lost to the Wallabies in the semifinals, he played in the devastating quarterfinal defeat to France four years later, and was ruled out of the 2011 tournament in New Zealand when he was injured during the group stages.

The All Blacks won the 2011 title, without Carter, but he masterminded their defence of the Webb Ellis Cup in England in 2015, lifting the trophy after his man-of-the match performance in the final against Australia.

While the world saw a small country, we saw possibilities. To unite a nation through sport & believe in each other. So that when it’s us against the world, all people see possibilities too. Loved being a part of this project with @adidas & @AllBlacks #ImpossibleIsNothing pic.twitter.com/E9KUwg8SNv

— Dan Carter (@DanCarter) April 21, 2021

It was the last of his 112 test appearances from 2003-15.

Speaking to the Guardian, Carter, opened up on the disappointment of the 2007 World Cup where they lost to France in the quarterfinal.

He said in 2007, they thought they were in the semifinal before we’d even played the game.

Carter said they weren’t used to the kind of pressure France put them under in the second half and they had no answer.

He added by the end, they were looking at each other like possums in headlights.

The loss to France according to Carter changed their mentality at World Cups and revealed how much it inspired his former team-mate and All Blacks captain Richie McCaw.

Carter said the whole team’s mindset was transformed for the 2011 final at Eden Park against France, which the All Blacks won 8-7 as he watched from the sidelines.

[Source: The Guardian]