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Carter staying put

Carter: Declares his commitment to New Zealand rugby

All Blacks fly-half Daniel Carter has expressed his desire to stick around and help the side through to the 2011 Rugby World Cup hosted by New Zealand.

Carter comes off contract at the end of next year but - spurred by the disastrous result at this year's tournament - has indicated he was keen to continue beyond that.

"I'm only 25 and hopefully have a few years left in the black jersey," Carter told NZPA.

"It's a good chance to sit down and plan the next few years and put my career exactly where I want it to go.

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

"This black jersey means more to me than anything else. I'm keen to hang around and make the most of these next few years."

Carter admitted he gave the subject of his own future some thought as he sat in the desolate post-Test changing room at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

Like his team-mates, the Crusaders pivot has struggled to come to terms with the 18-20 quarter-final loss to France that ended the tournament's favourites' dream of lifting the Webb Ellis trophy again for the first time in twenty years.

He also wondered how the seven All Blacks who are all leaving for French or English clubs next year were feeling, having not fulfilled their ultimate goal.

"We'd worked so hard to get to where we were. To be sitting in the changing room was a hollow and quiet place to be," said Carter.

"There are a lot of young guys that have learned a lot from that experience but I really do feel for those guys that are moving on.

"For them to move elsewhere, it's hard to see them end their career on this sort of note. They'll be dearly missed."

The departure of Doug Howlett (Munster), Luke McAlister (Sale), Aaron Mauger (Leicester), Byron Kelleher (Toulouse), Chris Jack (Saracens), Carl Hayman (Newcastle) and Anton Oliver (Toulon), will leave holes scattered all through the All Blacks ranks.

Others such as experienced locks Keith Robinson and Reuben Thorne may struggle to win national selection again.

Carter's commitment to the All Blacks cause comes after captain Richie McCaw pledged another two years with the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU).

The 26-year-old Crusaders star signed on the dotted line the day before the quarter-final exit in Cardiff and will now remain with the NZRU until 2009 at least.

Meanwhile, All Blacks flanker Jerry Collins admits he is attracted to a stint playing in France, but also plans at least two more years in New Zealand.

Collins, 26, was tipped in a Sunday newspaper to join Kelleher at the powerful Toulouse club in the south west of France.

The Hurricanes star he had considered moving overseas but had goals he wanted to achieve in New Zealand first. Among those are playing 50 tests for the All Blacks and 100 games for the Hurricanes.

He played his 48th Test match for New Zealand in the 20-18 loss to France in the World Cup quarter-final and is currently on 74 caps for the Wellington-based Super 14 franchise.

"There is still a lot of rugby left in me and the aim is to play 50 tests and 100 games in the Super 14," said Collins.

"I'm stuck on 48 and in the seventies so it will probably take me two years to get to a hundred."

Collins admitted there was a lot of international interest in his services.

"France is a nice place to play. I like France and would be inclined to go France but it happens every year," he said of media speculation he would join Toulouse.

"I'm keen to get back and play Super 14 next year and see my contract out [it expires next year].

"There is a lot of talk about whether I'm going to Toulouse, but not at this stage."