Dan Carter is setting his sights on winning the Champions Cup this season to try to complete his collection of trophies.

The All Black legend helped Racing 92 capture the TOP 14 title in June having guided them into the Champions Cup final the previous month. They were beaten 21-9 by Saracens in Lyon, but Carter wants to go one better this season.

Racing are drawn with Munster Rugby, Glasgow Warriors and Leicester Tigers in Pool 1 and kick-off with a home clash with two-time winners Munster at Stade Yves du Manoir on Sunday, 16 October. Carter has won almost everything in rugby, but he has yet to pick up a winners medal in Europe.

He played one game in the European Cup for Perpignan in the 2008/09 season, helping his side to beat the Tigers at home, but an Achilles injury reduced his rugby to five appearances in a season when Perpignan won the French title.

The list of personal and team accolades and trophies that Carter has picked-up during his stellar career is remarkable and he will be bidding this season to join the eight players who have completed the ‘North / South Double’, by winning the Super Rugby and Champions Cup titles.

“It’s part of why I play the game, to win things. I’ve been fortunate to win the Bouclier de Brennus (TOP 14 title) twice, but now I’d love to win the European Rugby Champions Cup,” said Carter.

“We were close last year, but we were not good enough. There are so many teams that could win, and we are one of them, and we will work hard because it’s a big goal for the club.

“I was extremely proud that the team reached the final last season and it was a proud moment for the club. Racing had never been passed the quarter finals before last year, so reaching the final was a very good achievement.

“It was great to make some history for the club in reaching the final. It’s never easy when you go that fat and lose, but we were beaten by a better team on that day.”

Disappointment quickly turned to delight for Racing and Carter as they made up for their defeat by the all-conquering Saracens by beating RC Toulon in the French Championship final at Stade de France a month later. Unlike with Perpignan in 2009, Carter played a central role in the victory.

That rounded off a season in which he had already won the Rugby World Cup for a second time with the All Blacks, won the World Rugby Player of the Year title for the third time, been named the BBC Sport Overseas Sports Personality of the Year and earned the Laureus World Sports Award for Comeback of the Year.

His French Championship winners’ medal now sits alongside those won in two World Cups, five Super Rugby and four Air New Zealand Cup finals and at nine Tri Nations and Rugby Championship campaigns with New Zealand.

So, what is it going to take to add the one major gong that is still missing from his collection? Last season showed Carter just how difficult it is to win the Champions Cup and he fully realises the size of the challenge ahead of his Racing side when they kick-off their pool games next month.

“It is Munster first and we know they are a very proud team and their fans make it a very tough place to play when you go to Ireland. Their recent results in Europe haven’t been too good, but there have a lot of history with the competition,” added Carter.

“Leicester are coached by a good friend of mine, Aaron Mauger, and we met them in the semi-final last season. They’ll want to get their revenge.

“Welford Road is also a very tough place to play and we have got to play another team we met last season, Glasgow, who will also be seeking revenge. It’s a very tough group and it will be very hard to reach the knock-out phase.”

DAN CARTER’S TROPHY CABINET

Winners Medals
Rugby World Cup (NZ): 2011, 2015
Tri Nations/Rugby Championship (NZ): 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014
Super Rugby (Crusaders): 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008
TOP 14 (Perpignan/Racing 92): 2009, 2016
Air New Zealand Cup (Canterbury): 2001, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010

Titles
World Rugby Player of the Year: 2005, 2012, 2015
Kelvin Tremain Memorial Trophy (NZ Player of the Year): 2004 and 2005
Super Rugby Player of the Year: 2004, 2006
BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year: 2015
Laureus World Sports Award for Comeback of the Year: 2016

Other
Leading Points Scorer in International Rugby: 1,598 (2003-15 – 112 caps)
Leading Points Scorer in Super Rugby: 1,708 (2003-15 – 141 games)
Series win over British & Irish Lions: 2005
Home Nations Grand Slam Tours: 2005, 2008, 2010