Leroy Carter’s dream call-up to New Zealand’s Rugby Championship squad nearly turned sour when he discovered his passport had been chewed up by his dog days before leaving for Argentina.
Utility back Carter, named among the injury replacements in Scott Robertson’s All Blacks squad, found his passport ruined on his bed and had to scramble to arrange a new one.
“I got my passport out to take a photo to send to the (team) manager and I just left it on my bedside table,” the 26-year-old told New Zealand media.
“My partner went to the gym and left my dog home alone and it’s gone down the hallway, jumped on the bed and just chewed up the passport and my teeth aligners.
“It was a bit of a shambles yesterday. I was trying to get an emergency one but I think it’s all sussed (sorted) now.
“I thought it would happen to me, something like that, so no point getting stressed about it, just trying to sort it out.”
Most of the All Blacks squad will fly out on Friday for Argentina where they play their Rugby Championship opener against the Pumas in Cordoba next week.
Carter, who represented New Zealand in rugby sevens at the Paris Olympics and won a bronze with the squad at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, earned his first All Blacks call-up after his debut season with the Waikato Chiefs in Super Rugby.
Carter said he was out for breakfast with his partner and some of his teammates from provincial side Bay of Plenty when Robertson called to confirm his selection on Monday.
“I got an unknown-number call. I guess I thought if there was a day to answer those it was probably (that day) and he just said congratulations,” said Carter.
“I honestly can’t really remember what else he said after that. I was pretty emotional and pretty stoked to get a phone call like that.
“All the boys were pretty pumped but I was still in a bit of a shock.”
