"Some players play with the wind, others create it," wrote the late Carwyn James in the Guardian many years ago. He was talking about Barry John but his words apply equally to another outhalf who has made international rugby look a breeze, New Zealand's Daniel Carter, who will win his 100th cap tomorrow.

John retired in his prime at the age of 27, the fame that followed the 1971 Lions tour to New Zealand troubling him far more than defenders ever did. But Carter, who will be 32 in February, is looking not just to the 2015 World Cup, the final of which will be staged at tomorrow’s venue, Twickenham, but beyond it, all too aware that his time as a former player will last a lot longer than his tenure in the black jersey.

It is often said that John would not have made an impact in professional rugby, given his aversion to tackling and the limited opportunities for attacking in the modern game, with its emphasis on defence. Carter, however, offers a counterargument: from the moment he made his international debut, in 2003 in Hamilton against Wales, he wove his intuitive thinking and guile into the All Blacks’ fabric, running, kicking or passing depending on what was in front of him. A gameplan has always been his prompt, not something to recite over and over.

“When I made my debut, Dan told me to express myself and play what I see,” says Carter’s halfback partner tomorrow, Aaron Smith. “He said to let my game come out because that was what had got me there. He always reminds me of that and to be partnering him on the day he wins his 100th cap is very special. I still remember seeing him in training for the first time, the epitome of an All Black. He gives you confidence and makes you realise you do not have to be structured.”

Carter regards his debut as the highlight of his Test career. He was chosen at inside-centre, the position he filled during the 2003 World Cup, to broaden his outlook by playing out of position, and his 20 points included a try.

'Pretty sharp'
"He was pretty sharp that day," says Steve Hansen, the All Black head coach, who was then in charge of Wales.

“New Zealand had lost at home to England the week before, which went down like a cup of cold sick, and they fronted up. His performance in the second Test against the Lions [when he scored 33 points] was truly outstanding and the thing about a great performance by a great player is that it is right out of the box because their displays are of huge quality anyway.

"To reach 100 caps you have to be special; Dan Carter is one of the special special ones, probably the greatest 10 to play for New Zealand and anyone in the world."

Carter was not among the players on parade at a news conference yesterday, an obtuse decision considering most questions Hansen fielded were about the outhalf. He had been available for New Zealand media the evening before when he talked about how becoming a father had changed him, how his own father, Neville, would be at Twickenham and how he was seeking longevity in his career.

“I want to play for a few years after the World Cup,” he told his compatriots. “From the moment I saw John Kirwan score a memorable try in the 1987 World Cup, I did not just want to become an All Black but a great All Black. That’s what gives me motivation each week. There has to be something within to get you out of bed each day to achieve the goals you set. As time goes on it becomes more challenging – things that worked for you eight or 10 years ago are not going to work now and you have to evolve – but I still have that drive. I am trying not to get carried away in the hype of my 100th cap: I’d much rather get the win over England than celebrate the milestone.”

And win he usually does, 87 times out of 99 in the New Zealand jersey. "He is the best of the best," says the Wales attack coach, Rob Howley. "The one thing you look for in outside-halves is an ability to see the game in front of them. Dan Carter has the ability to give himself time on the ball, he's an effective kicker with both feet, he ghosts through defences and he has a sublime all-round skill set. You always have to be aware of his running threat."

To Barry John, Carter and Jonny Wilkinson are the last of what he calls the great number 10s. “They are very different players, but they are still there because they have dedication to go with their special qualities and you have to salute them and feel sorry for the others because a changing game has reduced their possibilities,” he said.

Rugby to players such as John and Carter is about turning the improbable into the possible, pushing the boundaries of the sport, and when New Zealand make their way to the tunnel before entering the pitch, the Twickenham crowd, whatever the weather, can brace itself for Carter to hasten down the wind.
Guardian Service