All Blacks World Cup hero Dan Carter to play in Hong Kong with his new club Racing 92

HKRU coup as fly-half included in French club's squad for clash with Super Rugby's Highlanders

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Dan Carter, whom many regard as the game's best fly-half, works out in Paris with his Racing 92 team-mates. Photo: AFP

Kevin Kung

Published: 5:00pm, 9 Dec 2015Updated: 11:49pm, 11 Dec 2015

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Former All Blacks superstar Dan Carter will play in Hong Kong on February 6 when his French club side Racing 92 tackle reigning Super Rugby champions Highlanders in the Natixis Cup.

The 33-year-old three-time world player of the year who retired from internationals after New Zealand won this year’s Rugby World Cup made headlines last month when he joined the French Top 14 side.

We are famous for the Sevens but we have tried for many years to put on a second great event

HKRU chairman Pieter Schats

The fly-half is expected to debut for Racing against Northampton in the European Rugby Champions Cup (ERCC) on Saturday and will travel to Hong Kong for the Natixis Cup, a one-off invitational match designed to stimulate interest in the game in the city during the winter break.

Pieter Schats, Hong Kong Rugby Union chairman, said Hong Kong fans were in for a treat given the quality of the two sides.

“The Hong Kong Rugby Union needs to bring more games to Hong Kong,” said Schats, “We are famous for the Sevens but we have tried for many years to put on a second great event.

The Highlanders are the reigning Super Rugby champions. Photo: AFP

“The [Pulse Energy] Highlanders are a very high-quality outfit. Young, aggressive, fit and highly skilled, they keep the ball alive and go through many phases on the field.

“The French team are in a league that is almost like the top-flight English soccer league, with stars from all corners of the world. They have remarkable players like Dan Carter and other stars in their line-up.”