The All Blacks doctor Deb Robinson says Dan Carter will have to get used to walking properly again before he'll be able to resume running, let alone resume playing rugby.
It's eight weeks since the star first-five had surgery in France after rupturing an Achilles tendon.
Robinson says Carter will stop wearing a moonboot this weekend and he'll be working with the All Black physio in Perpignan for the next 10 days.
She says the first thing Pete Gallagher will have to do is make sure Carter's walking gait is back to normal after being unable to bend or stretch his ankle.
Carter signed with Perpignan for $1.7 million for a six-month stint, but played only five games before suffering the injury in February.
Robinson says it will still be six to eight months before he can play again, which means there's no prospect him of playing in the Tri Nations.
She says the end of year northern hemisphere tour is the next time he's likely to be in the All Black jersey.
