Carter taking All Black fans for a ride

Dan Carter is revered for often taking our collective breath away.

But if the substantial rumour that's doing the rounds now proves true, then I reckon Dan Carter is taking us for a ride.

The most respected rugby media in the UK are currently unanimous in their belief that Dan Carter is definitely keen to exercise the sabbatical clause in his 4 million dollar plus contract with the All Blacks, by playing in France.

Specifically, It's reported that Carter intends taking a six month break away from all rugby in New Zealand after the 2014 Northern Hemisphere concludes, similar to the sabbatical that Richie McCaw has just embarked upon.

But unlike McCaw, who is using his time away to rest up and hopefully prolong his stellar career, Carter appears to want to use his sabbatical to go on a cash-earning spree that will make him the richest player in world rugby.

In simple terms, Carter will be double-dipping by securing a king's ransom playing in France while still drawing upon his monster salary from the NZ Rugby Union.

Now this wouldn't be such dodgy behaviour to me if it wasn't clearly insinuated by rugby boss, Steve Tew when McCaw and Carter were re-signed by the NZRU 18 months ago, the sabbaticals stipulated in their four million dollar plus contracts were included to give these two superstars complete breaks away from playing rugby.

Lengthy breaks that were designed to re-energise their motivation and fitness levels and to significantly assist in making their participation in the 2015 World Cup a more likely possibility.

It certainly wasn't mentioned or remotely hinted at, that either of their heavily-sponsored holidays was to enable them to keep playing the game somewhere offshore and earn millions in the process.

Not surprisingly, the great Richie McCaw has stuck to the objective of the agreement.

Currently, the UK Press is stating that two of the richest French Clubs, Toulon and Racing Metro are involved in a bidding war to secure Carter's services, a scenario guaranteed to ensure the star first-five is offered an amount of money that breaks all previous records.

Dan Carter's management will undeniably be leading the charge.

In the past, they have pushed their man into such ventures as his poster-boy role for Jockey underwear and the ill-fated Gas fashion boutique ventures.

And I bet Carter and his ambitious minders get their way over this intended French foray.

Because however much Steve Tew is privately dismayed at Carter not honouring the main reasons why the sabbatical clause was offered by the NZRU, he won't want to rub a player up the wrong way given he probably still believes that NZ rugby needs more Carter than he needs them.

Dan Carter has become more and more injury-prone.

I reckon he should respect the obvious intent of why he was promised a sabbatical and show more respect.