Wales 9-18 New Zealand, Millennium Stadium, November 7
Carter ventures into the unknown
Scrum.com
November 9, 2009
New Zealand's Dan Carter is all-smiles in Milan, All Blacks training session, Palalido, Milan, Italy, November 9, 2009
All Blacks fly-half Dan Carter is all-smiles in Milan earlier today © Getty Images
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All Blacks fly-half Dan Carter will step into the unknown on Tuesday with his first appearance in front of the judiciary.

The 27-year-old, who was mobbed by reporters at a sponsor's function in Milan, headed to London with assistant coach Steve Hansen to face a charge of a dangerous high tackle on Wales' Martin Roberts during the All Blacks' 19-12 victory in Cardiff on Saturday.

The International Rugby Board's judicial officer, Englishman Jeff Blackett, will decide on Carter's immediate playing future on his side's current tour of Italy, England and France.

"It's a tough one but I can't worry too much. I've just got to go there and put my case. I've never been to anything like this before so it's something new for me. I guess I'll worry about it when I'm there," Carter said.

Carter will be represented by London-based lawyer Owen Eastwood and accompanied by Hansen, who represented fellow All Blacks Sitiveni Sivivatu (dangerous tackle) and Tony Woodcock (striking) when they received one-match bans in Tokyo in the wake of the Bledisloe Cup victory over Australia.

The 64-test All Black was cited by Australian citing commissioner Scott Nowland for the 72nd-minute tackle on Wales' replacement scrum-half and later apologised to Roberts soon after the Test at Millennium Stadium. "It wasn't intentional, just one of those things," he said.

Carter said he'd never been sinbinned for the Crusaders or All Blacks, and struggled to recall ever being sanctioned for foul play. "Not since I've been playing professionally, the odd one in age grade rugby but nothing too serious, I can't really remember, to be honest."

The best case scenario for the All Blacks would be a one-Test ban, with Carter highly unlikely to start this weekend's clash against Italy anyway to give Stephen Donald or Mike Delany their chances at pivot. Anything longer would rule him out of the England Test at Twickenham, and potentially the big game of the tour against France in Marseille which would be a massive blow to the All Blacks' chances of avenging their June upset at the hands of Les Bleus.

But given Carter's record and the relative seriousness of the offence - compared with Sivivatu's and Woodcock's against the Wallabies - anything more than a one-week suspension would be a major surprise.

Still, Carter harboured hopes of playing at San Siro, even off the bench, before a packed house of 75,000-plus. "I'd love to play at San Siro, it's an amazing stadium and I'd love to be part of it."

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