Carter explores new horizons in rugby

The fact that Carter is an outgoing kind of guy, as well as a skilled analyst, has clearly impressed the coaches from around the world who have employed the man from Barry.

His career started closer to home, however, with an introduction to performance analysis at Cardiff Blues by department head Rhodri Manning. After that came a stint with Rygbi Gogledd Cymru in Colwyn Bay. At the time, RGC had strong links with Canada Rugby, with no fewer than nine Canucks in their 2010 squad, and soon Carter was assisting the national side in adapting to new analytics software on their European tour.

“I was only 23 at the time, I was thrown in at the deep end but it was an amazing experience for me. Then an exciting role with the Scarlets Academy came up so I took that opportunity to work with some of the best age grade players in Wales,” explains Carter. “After a promotion and two more years with the Scarlets as a first team analyst, I was offered the role of National Academy Analyst. That was more of a managerial position combined with heading up the analysis for Wales U20.

“I was very passionate about working for the WRU, especially with such talented players and coaches coming through that development pathway we had at that time.”

After a decade working in Wales, Carter was presented with a new challenge. “I was out in Hong Kong visiting a couple of my friends from home who live there, [Sevens World Cup winner] Tom Isaacs and [Hong Kong backs coach] Scott Sneddon, and happened to meet quite a few people from Hong Kong Rugby Union. A few months later the analyst job came up. I saw it as a unique opportunity which would push me out of my comfort zone and challenge me to develop my skillset, so I took it.”

Unique in many perspectives: creating his own department, for example. “With the WRU there is a very strong support network within the analysis department, whereas Hong Kong was in the early developmental stages,” says Carter. “I looked at that as a positive: I had a blank canvas to work with.” Since then, he has built a department from the ground up, with three other analysts covering over 100 games a season across club, national U20s, men’s and women’s 15s programmes.

“It’s refreshing to work with players and coaches who come from all over the world with totally different paths,” he says. “That’s the nature of Hong Kong: it’s like the United Nations on a small island.”

Despite there being over six thousand miles between Barry and Hong Kong, Carter was surprised to discover how many Welsh people live in this corner of Asia. “The St. David’s Society of Hong Kong has a big following and I am proud to be a member of it. We have our annual St. David’s Day dinner every March which is a very important, special event in the social calendar!”

It’s not like he’s alone as a member of the so-called ‘Welsh Taffia’ in the workplace either. A significant proportion of big names from the Welsh game have joined the HKRU in recent years, such as Paul John, Jevon Groves and Dai Rees. Head coach Leigh Jones – formerly of Newport and Wales A – helped Eddie Jones’s Japan beat South Africa in the 2015 World Cup and then returned to the HKRU to pursue RWC 2019 qualification.

“Leigh and all the coaching staff have been great,” Carter says. “We constantly challenge each other to improve and that makes it a very vibrant and enjoyable working environment. Leigh has pushed me to think outside the box and see things from different perspectives. I can certainly say that was a challenge for myself as a stubborn Welshman, but on reflection it’s pushed me to that next level.”

With Tokyo only a three-hour flight away, Carter and his fellow Welsh exiles were able to catch up with friends from back home during the World Cup last year. It was a reunion which took place at the Manic Street Preachers gig that saw a guest appearance from Carter’s Glantaf schoolmate, Jamie Roberts, on guitar.

A new tournament called Global Rapid Rugby has entailed longer flights, although the matches are shorter (70 minutes), with one-minute time limits for scrums and nine-point ‘power tries’. Hong Kong, under the banner of South China Tigers, played only a single game before the season was cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic: a 52-27 victory against Manuma Samoa in Perth.

“We were also scheduled to play Western Force, as well as teams from China, Fiji and Malaysia, but obviously that’s been cancelled,” says Carter ruefully. “It’s given us a taste of Southern Hemisphere rugby, though, and maybe a glimpse of what the future holds for the game with the innovative law amendments.”

Carter is speaking from Seattle, Washington, where his partner lives. He continues to set himself new challenges, both short and long term, and is taking the opportunity to gain some CPD in other sports while Stateside.

What does he make of the new American Major League Rugby, which has made positive early strides? “I’ve always loved the passion that Americans have for sport. Rugby is a high-speed collision game so I think it has huge growth potential. The popularity of rugby out here is growing no end, so maybe that’s something I could add value to at some point in my career.

“I’d certainly like to share my experiences with young performance analysts, coaches and players in one of the new leagues around the world at some point, and use my experience to add value. I love environments that are open to change and are ready to adapt to the development of sport in general. Hong Kong Rugby Union has certainly been one of those organisations and has been highly beneficial to my development.”

He doesn’t rule out a return home at some point either. “I definitely experience hiraeth quite a lot. I miss family and friends, but I still have more traveling to do first. Being away has forced me to adapt and develop as a person, not to mention as an analyst. Who knows what the next chapter holds? But one thing’s for sure: I am very grateful for what rugby has given me.”