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AUCKLAND: New Zealand playmaker Dan Carter will miss Sunday's game against Canada after pulling up with a groin injury in training, the All Blacks announced.
Carter "has been withdrawn from the All Blacks team for their final Pool match against Canada tomorrow, after pulling up at training with a groin injury", a statement said.
The fly-half, who was due to captain the All Blacks in the absence of Richie McCaw, suffered the injury during kicking practice at training.
Colin Slade will now start in the number 10 jersey, with hooker Andrew Hore to captain the All Blacks for the first time. Andy Ellis comes onto the replacements bench.
"Carter will be further assessed this evening and an update will be given tomorrow. No further updates will be given at this time," the All Blacks said.
TV channel 3 News, quoting unnamed sources, said earlier that Carter was "absolutely" in doubt to play any further role in the World Cup.
Usual captain McCaw will miss Sunday's final Pool A game with nagging pain from a surgically repaired stress fracture in his right foot.
McCaw's place at openside flanker will be taken by Victor Vito.
"I'm not going to play and the reason is that my foot is a bit niggly," McCaw said.
"It's a bit frustrating. I was pretty keen to play, it was important for me and the team. I got through training on Friday fine but I woke up a bit sore."
McCaw underwent pre-season surgery in February to insert a small screw into a bone in his right foot that had a stress fracture and missed the first six weeks of the Super 15 season.
After his comeback, the flanker was then sidelined in late May after suffering from recurring pain in his foot.
McCaw insisted that if the Canada match had been a knock-out game, he would have been on the paddock.
"It is something I have managed all through the year," he said. "It's been seven months since the operation. Every week, to some degree, it is a bit niggly.
"It's just one of those things. It probably needs a rest, to be fair.
"I wanted to get ready for next week - that is why this decision has been made. We've got knock-out games coming up and I didn't want to be niggly next week - I wanted to be ready to go.
"It was a bit frustrating but it is a niggle I have dealt with for a while. It's just not quite right."
He added: "I don't want to belittle Canada because it is a hugely important game for the team.
"But we're in a tournament and we wanted to make sure the team is functioning well come quarter-final time.
"I could go out and play but its' the accumulative effect. For me to keep functioning well it was the right decision this weekend."
Assistant coach Wayne Smith said he had no doubts 'Captain Fantastic' would be back to lead the side, who opened their World Cup campaign with a 41-10 win over Tonga before steamrolling Japan 83-7 and beating France 37-17.
"The reality is that we've made the quarter-finals and Richie's going to lead us into the quarter-finals," Smith said.
"He's going to be fine, he'll be right for the quarter-finals."
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/un...001-1l2ae.html
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