I like my gadgets and they are especially good for when you are on the road. App wise, I’ve got loads but I think the two I use the most are Rap Battle and the adidas miCoach app. The rap battle is really good fun and the whole team like to have a go at it, even though some of them are terrible.

 

I’ve recently brought some mini decks for the road so I can practice DJ-ing. They keep me pretty occupied. That said we get gadgets and things out in New Zealand about six months after they are released in the States and Europe. When I was over in London for the Crusaders vs Sharks game I saw they had the iPad 2 being released which looks pretty cool so I might try and get that next.

 

We are all really excited about having the Rugby World Cup come to New Zealand. It’s been too long since we had success in the tournament and hopefully the home crowds can help create a really positive atmosphere for the team. As players there is always pressure at the major tournaments – it’s a huge honour to wear the All Blacks jersey and we all want to perform to the very best of our abilities.

 

I think the Rugby World Cup will be really competitive this year. The Southern Hemisphere sides are traditionally strong and there are some Northern Hemisphere sides coming into some really good form. It would be very special to win the tournament on home soil but there is a lot of Rugby to play before we get to that stage.

 

Its really difficult to pick one side out as the main threat, we’ll have to see what the draw does for us. In terms of English players, there are some really fantastic individuals who have stepped up their game this year to make England a really dangerous team. The combination of players like Ben Youngs and Chris Ashton make them a great attacking side but then they have players like Louis Moody and Tom Croft who make them a solid defensive unit

 

I think the implementation of video technology in rugby has been a good thing and the governing bodies have worked hard to minimise the disruption that it can have on a game - I think the key thing is not over using it.

 

There is so much technology involved in the game now from training aids to player analysis all the way through to try line decisions. I think the majority of it is good for the game but that said, there is no guarantee that things like video technology would work well in soccer.


Dan Carter was speaking as a representative for Adidas. For more information, check out adidas.co.uk