Brief

All‑Blacks great Dan Carter urges Wallabies to learn from 2023 World Cup loss

Carter says the Wallabies must turn past failure into confidence ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup at home.

By Felo News Desk · Published Tue, 06 Oct 2026 23:22:10 GMT

Former All Blacks star Dan Carter, speaking at a Global Rugby Players Foundation charity golf event in Sydney, urged the Australian Wallabies to study the mistakes of their 2023 Rugby World Cup campaign as they prepare for the 2027 tournament on home soil.

What happened

Carter, a two‑time World Cup winner, joined fellow New Zealand great Richie McCaw and Australian legend George Gregan at the Bonnie Doon Golf Club on October 2, 2026. During the event he outlined two key ideas that helped the All Blacks win the 2011 World Cup after a disastrous 2007 showing: converting home support into a positive force and pairing belief in the future with a clear view of past shortcomings.

What the reports add

The SMH article notes that Carter contrasted the Wallabies’ desire to forget the 2023 "dark days" with his belief that confronting those failures is essential. He recalled the All Blacks’ own turnaround after a quarter‑final loss to France in 2007, saying the team only succeeded when it “sat back and learned what went wrong”.

What was said

"Confidence and belief are similar things, and you’ve just got to embrace the challenge," Carter told the SMH. "Look around the room, eyeball your teammates and actually genuinely believe you can beat anyone in the world – and they [the Wallabies] have got the players to be able to do that." He added, "There’s enough players in that squad that have gone through the hard times as well, and as long as you’re learning from those challenging moments, it can often make you stronger." Carter also warned, "You shouldn’t just brush off 2023; you should actually learn what went wrong from the players that were there."

How it came about

The remarks came as the Wallabies gear up for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, the first time the tournament will be hosted in Australia. Carter’s comments echo his earlier advocacy for reflective coaching, a theme he has promoted through the Global Rugby Players Foundation’s charitable work. The foundation’s events often bring together past greats to mentor current players, a pattern also seen in Felo News’ recent coverage of other sports legends preparing for 2027 world tournaments.

Key facts

Dan Carter urged the Wallabies to learn from their 2023 World Cup failures. (smh.com.au)
Carter highlighted two lessons from the All Blacks: turning home support into a positive force and combining belief with analysis of past mistakes. (smh.com.au)
The comments were made at a Global Rugby Players Foundation charity golf event in Sydney on October 2, 2026. (smh.com.au)
Carter recalled the All Blacks’ turnaround after the 2007 quarter‑final loss to France, leading to World Cup wins in 2011 and 2015. (smh.com.au)