AFTER being forced to watch his team-mates lift the Webb Ellis Trophy four years ago in their own country, World Player of the Year Dan Carter has opened up on his joy of being able to do it this time around.

In 2011, the mercurial fly-half did not make it through the group stages of the Rugby World Cup.

Having played against Tonga and France, he was scheduled to captain his country for the first time against Canada only for him to tear a groin tendon in training, which would rule him out of the whole tournament.

Four years later he scored 19 points in a match winning performance against Australia in the final and finally got his mitts on the coveted cup in his last ever game for the All Blacks.

Hours later he was voted the best player on the planet, but the 33-year-old displayed the ice-cool composure which has seen him become one of the best players ever to have graced the game.

“You've obviously got to enjoy moments like these because that's why we play the game,” he said.

“This team will never be together again so we've got to make sure we enjoy it, fly home and give ourselves a chance to celebrate with our fans because they've been so good with messages and support throughout the tournament have the fans back home, friends and family.

“The boys were just focused on delivering with the task in hand and I thought we did that well for 80 minutes, but once that final whistle went it was just a great opportunity to release the emotions and I was so proud.”

Most players would be happy with a man of the match showing in the biggest rugby match on earth, but Carter still found fault in his own display.

Despite being New Zealand’s top tackler with 12, he pointed out he missed a couple too, including one on Tevita Kurindrani which allowed the Wallabies to close the gap to just four points.

 “I missed a couple as well but it's a part of the game I love,” he said.

“To be honest, I was pretty tired out there and when we were down to 14 men I thought Australia played extremely well.

“They kicked well out the back to put us under a lot of pressure and scored a couple of tries.

“They made a real game of it and credit has to go to an Australian side who've played well all year and were worthy finalists and put us under a lot of pressure.

“The way we bounced back in the last 10 or 15 minutes was really pleasing.

“I thought we were playing well and we got a good try just before the half time which was a real confidence booster going into the break to give us a bit of an extended lead.

“But I thought we played well in the first 40 before the Aussies fought back and put us under a lot of pressure so we were just happy to have finished strongly.”

While Australia made huge statements in the pool stages with an emphatic win over England followed by a gritty win over Warren Gatland’s Wales, New Zealand almost stuttered their way to the knock-out stages.

But Carter admitted it was all part of the masterplan and said: “I guess the way the pool played out - we tried a few new things.

“We were using a few different combinations and we were pushing ourselves hard in training.

“It was very physical and that's all we were focussing on was that quarter final because that's all that was guaranteed for us.

“Once we won that then we gave ourselves another week and it just went on like that.

“This side has shown a great deal of self-belief and to be standing here as world champions is such a special and unique feeling.”

It was the last time we’ll see Dan Carter in an All Black jersey after more than a decade in the sun.

He made his debut against Wales as a 21-year-old in 2003 with 20 points but it wasn’t until two years later the world was treated fully to Carter’s genius.

The Welsh were on the receiving end again in part, as he inspired New Zealand to a Lions humiliation under the tutelage of England’s World Cup-winning coach Clive Woodward.

His 33-point haul in the second test is widely regarded as the definitive fly-half performance and guided him to his first of three World Player of the Year title.

He and Jonny Wilkinson went tit for tat to establish themselves as the best fly-half ever to have played the game and, although it divides opinion, Carter just nudges it.

Next up for him is a season with Racing Metro in the French Top 14, but the former Crusader said: “To be honest I'm not thinking too much about it.

“I'm just going to enjoy a bit of time off in the next couple of weeks and celebrate with this team.

“I want to spend as much time as possible with this special group of guys and then I'm looking forward to my next challenge in France.”