All Blacks’ Dan Carter becomes first rugby union player to reach 1,500 points in loss to Australia
Dan Carter made history today by becoming the first player in Test rugby history to score over 1,500 points, but couldn't prevent New Zealand succumbing to their first loss to Australia since before the last World Cup.
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The Kiwi star scored nine points from three penalties in his final game on Australian soil as he aimed to secure his place in the All Blacks' Rugby World Cup squad.
Yet his team's own credentials as favourites for the trophy were jarred by just their second loss in the four years since they won the last World Cup, as Australia ran out 27-19 winners on the night and clinched the 2015 Rugby Championship.
The fly-half – considered by many to be the greatest of all time – cemented his legacy by moving 254 points ahead of Jonny Wilkinson as international rugby's highest scorer.
Only four other players have scored more than 1,000 points.
Carter will become rugby's best-paid player after the World Cup having signed a £1.3m a year contract with Racing Metro in the French Top 14. He currently earns around £342,000 per year and makes around £107,000 from various endorsement deals with Adidas and Samsung.
Yet at 33-years-old and having suffered numerous injury problems, Carter is still fighting to secure a starting berth at the tournament and despite scoring three out of three penalties, his cause was not helped by two missed conversions and poor kicking from hand.
Such is the depth rugby talent in New Zealand that head coach Steve Hansen also has younger options Beauden Barrett and Lima Sopoaga as well as the more versatile Colin Slade to choose from.
Two tries from Nehe Milner-Skudder in his first international also underlined the wealth of talent at Hansen's disposal. Carter and New Zealand will get the chance to avenge their defeat and hold onto the Bledisloe Cup when they play Australia in Auckland next week.