Dan Carter will start for Perpignan in their crunch Heineken Cup match against Leicester on Sunday, the French club's president has confirmed. New Zealand outhalf Carter only had his first training session with the Top 14 side yesterday.
But Paul Goze, the club's supremo, insisted the All Black will be a shoo-in at number 10 this weekend, with Perpignan's qualification hopes hanging by a thread.
When asked whether Carter, who has signed a seven-month contract with USAP, will start against the Tigers, Goze said: "Yes. With us being three matches from the end of the pool stages, we are not masters of our own destiny now.
"We are going all out to beat Leicester and have no regrets."
With USAP third in Pool Three on only five points, the prospects of them topping the group are slim. Carter, who admitted his primary motive for coming to the club was to play in the Heineken Cup, may have to now set his sights on winning France's Top 14.
"USAP are a good team but one which, until now, has never been able to make that last step up," added Goze. "With Carter, we have the possibility of doing that. He can lead us to the French championship, which we have been waiting for for 54 years."
The hype surrounding Carter will build and build this week, but yesterday's training and subsequent media session is the only chance the press will get to see the New Zealander before Sunday's match.
Goze added: "Dan is especially here to play rugby. Shop sales are already very good and sponsors want to organise certain things around him. But we don't want him to just be meeting people all week. The squad is here to train and play matches."
