Dan Carter will soon be down to business in the Heineken Cup © Getty Images

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Players/Officials: Dan Carter

Teams: France | Perpignan

Dan Carter will line up for Perpignan against Leicester next Sunday, according to the club's president Paul Goze. Carter came through his first training session with his new club yesterday, and Goze admits that the All Blacks fly-half is in their plans to salvage their Heineken Cup bid.

When asked whether Carter would make his debut against Leicester, Goze said, "Yes. With us being three matches from the end of the pool stages, we are not masters of our own destiny now. We are going all out to beat Leicester and have no regrets."

Perpignan, Heineken Cup runners up in 2003, currently sit third in their Pool after losses to Leicester and the Ospreys, both of whom are yet to travel to the Stade Aime Giral. One of Carter's biggest desires in securing a sabbatical from the New Zealand Rugby Union was to play in the Heineken Cup but he may have to set his sights on the Top 14 instead, with Perpignan currently third in France's domestic competition.

"USAP [Perpignan] are a good team but one which, until now, has never been able to make that last step up," said Goze. "With Carter, we have the possibility of doing that. He can lead us to the French championship, which we have been waiting for for 54 years."

Carter's introduction yesterday has increased the hype around his sabbatical toa fever-pitch, yet his employers are keen to distance him from the media circus. "Dan is especially here to play rugby," Goze said. "Shop sales are already very good and sponsors want to organise certain things around him. But we don't want him to just be meeting people all week. The squad is here to train and play matches."