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Dan Carter has not played since the Super Rugby grand final © Getty Images

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Dan Carter may return to rugby with Canterbury in the ITM Cup after breaking his right leg in the Super Rugby final.

Test rugby's all-time leading points-scorer cracked a bone in his right leg in the Crusaders' 33-32 defeat by New South Wales Waratahs in the Super Rugby final, ruling him out of the early part of the Rugby Championship.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said the 32-year-old star was making encouraging progress and was two-thirds of the way through his recovery, but he hinted the veteran of 100 Tests might opt to play for Canterbury before returning to the international fray.

"It's just whether we bring him straight back into Test rugby or whether we bring him back with a few games under his belt," Hansen said. "Once we get to a point to where we have to start making those decisions then we'll sit down with him and see how confident he is. Then we'll map out a strategy."

Carter, who is due to be fit when the All Blacks face Argentina in La Plata on September 27, has not played international rugby since bringing up his century of Tests against England last November. He subsequently enjoyed a seven-month break from the game in order to overcome niggling injuries and get back to full fitness ahead of the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

He made his playing return for his Southbridge club in June before featuring at the tail end of the Crusaders' Super Rugby campaign.

Aaron Cruden has steered the All Blacks from five-eighth in Carter's absence from the international arena, but Beauden Barrett starts against Argentina in Napier on Saturday.

Dan Carter enjoyed his return with Southbridge © Getty Images

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