All Blacks aim to realise Carter's dream

As if the All Blacks needed any extra motivation, they are now even more determined to win the Webb Ellis Cup and realise injured playmaker Dan Carter’s Rugby World Cup dream.

The inspirational fly half was ruled out of the tournament with a torn groin muscle just before New Zealand’s final pool match against Canada on Sunday.

As the All Blacks prepare to enter the knockout stages without the man many people say is the best number 10 in the world, loose forward Adam Thomson believes the loss of Carter will make them all the more resolute in their quest for glory.

"I'm sure we're going to dig really deep and put in a huge effort for him,” Thomson said.

“Just to get him across the line and make his dream come true even though he's not going to be out there."

While Carter’s injury on the eve of the quarter-finals has come as a massive blow for the team, Thomson says no one is more devastated than the man himself.

Shared pain

“It's his dream that he's built up for a long time,” Thomson said. "I was talking to him the other day about being a young kid, you know he's won this World Cup many times in his backyard and for him to go through that, it hurts all of us.”

New Zealand number 8 Kieran Read echoed the sentiments of all his teammates when he spoke of how the squad was coming to terms with the loss of such an integral player.

"We're hurt, man. He's a massive part of this group,” Read said. “We definitely are hurting for him.”

Read believes the All Blacks must not dwell on the loss of Carter and instead focus on the challenges ahead.

"It's really tough but what we've got to do is move on from that,” he said. “It's a tough challenge and the strength of our squad is what's going to win us this World Cup."

New Zealand meet Argentina in their quarter-final at Eden Park on Sunday.