24 Aug 2010

Carter says time's right for surgery on troublesome ankle

10:13 am on 24 August 2010

The All Blacks first five Dan Carter will undergo ankle surgery in Christchurch today, meaning he'll miss the team's final Tri-nations Test against the Wallabies in Sydney, but the playmaker says the surgery is long overdue.

Carter will have a clean-up operation on his right ankle to remove cartilage and bone spurs which have been causing pain and affecting his goal kicking ability.

The world's all-time leading points-scorer says the injury has been troubling him for some time.