Carter receives treatment after suffering the injury in the final moment's of his side's clash with Stade Francais on Saturday © Getty Images

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Players/Officials: Dan Carter

Tournaments/Tours: French Top 14 | French Top 14

Teams: France | New Zealand | Perpignan

Perpignan and New Zealand fly-half Dan Carter has been ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering a recurrence of an Achilles injury.

The former IRB player of the Year, who joined the Top 14 club at the start of December on a seven-month contract, sustained the injury in the final moments of Saturday's 13-13 draw with Stade Francais in Paris and is expected to be out of action for six months.

The injury brings a premature end to the 26-year-old's lucrative sabbatical with the Catalan club after just five matches. The news is also a cruel blow to Perpignan who paid a reported 700,000 euros (£618,000) to secure the services of the All Blacks star.

Carter's sojurn in France was only possible after he was granted a temporary release from his contract with the New Zealand Rugby Union but now he faces a battle to be fit for this year's Tri-Nations. New Zealand are scheduled to face France and Italy in June before beginning their assault on the southern hemisphere crown against Australia in Auckland on July 18.

"It is a partial tear of the Achilles tendon which means he will be unavailable for around six months," Perpignan spokesman Benoit Brazes told AFP. "It's a huge disappointment especially for him, for the club.

"Now we are going to do our best possible to get him healthy again. Our doctor will be in contact with the medical staff of the All Blacks to decide whether or not he will undergo surgery in France. At the moment he is in plaster and is at home. He underwent an examination on Sunday morning (in Paris) and returned with us by plane."

In what turned out to be his final appearance for Perpignan, the Carter snatched a valuable draw for his side with a last-gasp penalty having returned from a three-week injury lay-off because of an earlier Achilles tendon injury.

Perpignan coach Jacques Brunel said, "We are staggered because we are losing our playmaker. The way it happened leaves us speechless, because it was the last action of the game."

Carter appeared in a total of four Top 14 matches and one Heineken Cup clash - the latter being the competition that lured him to Europe. He kicked a total of 45 points in his 361 minutes of playing time and was never on the losing side in Perpignan colours.

Perpignan president Paul Goze insisted that Carter had not been rushed back into action due to the marquee standing of the game against Stade Francais. "I said to them that if it (his Achilles) hurt, it wasn't imperative he played, even if it was against Paris (Stade Francais)," he said. "At half-time, we again asked him and he replied that it didn't hurt."

Perpignan will now look for a loan signing, as back-up fly-halves Steve Meyer and Nicolas Laharrague are also out injured.

"I have been thinking since Saturday about bringing in a loan replacement," said Goze. "I have two or three ideas. But we aren't going to take on a player who is worse than what we have."

All Blacks manager Darren Shand later confirmed All Blacks Doctor Deb Robinson and All Blacks Physiotherapist Peter Gallagher had been in touch with Carter and Perpignan officials following his injury.

"It's hugely disappointing for Dan. He was really enjoying playing in France. He's getting fantastic support from the Perpignan team who have been really supportive and keeping us well briefed," Shand said. "Dan's now resting at home in Perpignan and it's probable that he will need surgery but a full assessment will be made over the next few days."

Shand said there was no deadline for Carter's return to rugby. "As a general rule of thumb, players who suffer a severe Achilles injury are out of rugby for at least six months but it can be longer. Dan will return to rugby when he is ready and we will support him throughout his rehabilitation."