The Olympian taking to Super Rugby like a duck to water

Leroy Carter broke into professional rugby as a halfback and still trains in that position with the Chiefs.

When he was signed by the Hamilton-based franchise in August 2024, coach Clayton McMillan (51 wins in 70 matches) noted:

“We love his competitive edge, abrasive style, and that he is a legitimate hybrid player – comfortable on both the wing and at halfback.”

In Super Rugby Pacific 2025, Carter has not needed to consider nine as he has thrived on the wing.

In six appearances, he’s scored three tries in victories against the Blues (25-14), Crusaders (49-25), and Moana Pasifika (50-35).

His try on debut against the Blues came on the right wing at Eden Park, a late strike in a narrow victory of the 2024 final replay.

The Chiefs’ win against the Crusaders was by a record margin, with Carter dotting down on the left wing. The Chiefs scored 43 of their 50 points against Moana Pasifika in the first half.

“It was unreal to debut against the Blues and score a try. The boys’ mindset before that game was really determined,” Carter told RugbyPass.

“Moana Pasifika, they’re a quality outfit and showed that in the second half, putting a lot of points on when we switched off. We came out hard against them and the Crusaders, but would have liked to maintain that edge for longer.

“A couple of bigger bodies. That’s been the hardest thing about swapping from fifteens to sevens. I was lucky to have a Bay of Plenty season under my belt before I started with the Chiefs.”

Team Form

Last 5 Games

21 - 14

27 - 15

35 - 50

32 - 31

28 - 24

26 - 39

27 - 15

28 - 24

23 - 29

35 - 15

3

Wins

3

1

Streak

2

20

Tries Scored

21

17

Points Difference

5

4/5

First Try

3/5

4/5

First Points

3/5

4/5

Race To 10 Points

4/5

Bay of Plenty enjoyed a historic season, making the NPC final for the first time in 2024, losing to Wellington (20-23) in extra time.

“It was pretty gutting to lose like that. We were coming off a cool win the week before against Canterbury and riding off that momentum,” Carter said. “The Steamers’ crew was a good one. Lots of local boys, a good environment.”

A product of Tauranga Boys College, Carter was MVP at the 2017 Condor Sevens and a member of the Bay of Plenty Under 19s that won the Graham Mourie Cup as winners of the National Jock Hobbs Memorial U19 tournament in 2018.

The Tauranga Sports product was selected for the New Zealand Under 20s in 2019 and later debuted for Bay of Plenty in a 20-16 win against Auckland in the NPC.

Carter has made 28 appearances (15 wins) for the Steamers and scored 16 tries.

In 2021, he was forced to migrate to the wing and scored tries against Wellington, Waikato, and Canterbury, which prompted interest from the All Blacks Sevens selectors.

“We had a shocking year of injuries. Wingers were moving into centre, yet we had three halfbacks, Tripe T (Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi), Luke Campbell, and me. They put me on the wing, and I went half decent and just stayed there.”

Carter stayed in the All Blacks Sevens for three years. In 2023, he was nominated for World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year after the All Blacks Sevens secured their 14th SVNS title.

“A couple of Hong Kong wins were highlights. We treat that as a pinnacle event. Going to the Com Games and Olympics was pretty special too, though the outcomes were bittersweet, “ Carter reflected.

The All Blacks Sevens were fifth at the Olympics, accounting for Japan (40-12), South Africa (17-5), and Ireland (14-12) in pool play before coming unstuck against South Africa 7-14 in an agonising quarter-final.

“That’s the worst loss I’ve had. You spend three years building up to that moment and it ends in a couple of small mistakes. Drop a quarter, one game, and you’re gone,” Carter mourned.

“To be fair, we played some of the best sevens we’d ever played in the group, and even after the loss to South Africa, we beat Argentina and Ireland. Sevens, it can be brutal.”

The All Blacks Sevens have struggled to consistently win games in the 2024-25 SVNS, seventh heading into the final league event in Singapore this weekend. What is going wrong?

“I guess you’d say they’re rebuilding. There were heaps of caps who left after the Olympics, Sam Dickson, Scott Curry, and Tim Mikkelson, and power athletes like Fini Fineanganofo and Moses Leo,” Carter answered.

“It’ll come. I watched all the games in Hong Kong and they looked like their old selves.

There are no easy pool games anymore with Spain coming up. Even Uruguay is really good now. I think of every game as quarters and quarters again.”

Carter has shown the ability to rise to the occasion with the Chiefs. On Friday night in Hamilton, the Chiefs host the Reds in a top-of-the-table clash.

Wallabies Harry Wilson, Fraser McReight, and Tate McDermott all return to the Reds starting lineup, absent in the 28-24 victory against the Force.

The scrum tussle will be intense, with the Reds demolishing the Highlanders and outmuscling the Force.

The showdown between Tom Lynagh and Damian McKenzie at first five will be intriguing. McKenzie ranks inside the top ten of Super Rugby Pacific for points scored, meters gained, defenders beaten, and clean breaks. Lynagh’s stature is growing in every game.

Carter will oppose Lachie Anderson, who has scored two tries in seven matches this season.

The Chiefs lead the head-to-head series against the Reds 16-13. The Chiefs have won 19 of their last 21 games at FMG Stadium.