Argentina v New Zealand, Rugby Championship
Carter pencilled in for All Blacks return
ESPN Staff
September 24, 2012
Dan Carter passes the ball at training, New Zealand training session, Rugby League Park, Wellington, New Zealand, August 2, 2012
Dan Carter is set to return for the All Blacks on Saturday © Getty Images
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Players/Officials: Dan Carter | Steve Hansen
Tournaments/Tours: Rugby Championship
Teams: New Zealand

All Blacks fly-half Dan Carter should return to the starting XV for their match with Argentina in Buenos Aires on Saturday.

Carter has been sidelined with a calf injury for their past two matches which gave Aaron Cruden the chance to impress in the No.10 jersey for the All Blacks. But Carter was named in their 28-man squad for their final two matches in this season's Rugby Championship and coach Steve Hansen is optimistic that he will have the world-class fly-half at his disposal when picking his side.

Hansen said: "He is that way at this stage, we'll have to wait and see how we go on the training track but DC's come through the week reasonably good and he sounds confident, as long as he doesn't get any setbacks we should be fine."

The Pumas have impressed in their debut season in the competition but only have one draw to their name despite some valiant efforts. They held out the All Blacks for more than an hour in their Test in Wellington with the Kiwis eventually running out 21-5 victors and Hansen has predicted a similar arm wrestle come Saturday.

"Argentina will look to slow it down and make it a scrappy game. If it does get scrappy we'll get what we got in Wellington. We've got to get quicker ball, we've got to win the collision as the ball carrier and get our cleanout right. We've got to keep the big Argentinean forwards from going off their feet, killing our ball and slowing our ball."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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