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WORCESTER Warriors will have to wait until the end of this year before they can try to persuade world class All Black fly-half Dan Carter that his future lies at Sixways.

The gifted stand-off, who is currently showcasing his skills to an army of northern hemispehre suitors in the Super 14 for Canterbury Crusaders, insists he will not discuss his future until after his New Zealand Rugby Union contract expires at the end of 2008.

However, it is widely thought that Carter plans to join the exodus of his country's leading players who have turned their backs on southern hemisphere rugby in favour of lucrative contracts with the leading European clubs.

It remains to be seen if Mike Ruddock and Cecil Duckworth can persuade arguably the finest number 10 in world rugby to sign for Warriors, but the same would have been said before Chris Latham, Rico Gear, Sam Tuitupou and Greg Rawlinson agreed moves to Sixways.

A Crusaders spokesman said: "Unfortunately, Daniel Carter is not giving interviews at the moment with regards to his playing future.

"I know there has been speculation linking him to Worcester recently among a host of off-shore clubs.

"He has repeatedly said that, while he is off contract with the NZRU at the end of this year, he has made no decisions with regards to anything beyond that time frame and reaffirmed to me this week that this remains his position."

With Shane Drahm leaving Warriors for Japanese side Kubota Spears at the end of the current Guinness Premiership campaign, director of rugby Ruddock will be desperate to sign a top-class number 10.

There is no doubt 26-year-old Carter, who has racked up 676 points in his 44 caps for the All Blacks, would more than fit the bill.

The 2005 IRB Player of the Year, Carter has scored the most Test tries by an All Black fly-half and he is the second most prolific point-scorer in New Zealand Test history, having surpassed Grant Fox's tally of 645 in 2007.

7:45am Tuesday 25th March 2008

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