Dad-to-be Carter misses SA trip

The All Blacks' star flyhalf Dan Carter revealed Thursday that he will miss the Crusaders' upcoming trip to South Africa so he can attend the birth of his first child.

Carter said he will stay in New Zealand when his Super Rugby team travel to South Africa to face the Stormers in Cape Town on March 31 and the Sharks in Durban on April 6.

"Gutted not to be heading to SA with @crusadersrugby but very excited about becoming a dad for the first time in April," Carter tweeted.

It is not clear whether Carter will rejoin the Crusaders for their match against the Western Force in Perth on April 13.

Carter's revelation came on the same day that the Crusaders named bad boy Zac Guildford on the bench for this Saturday's clash with the Southern Kings in Christchurch.

Guildford was given a career lifeline when he was cleared to return to the game last week, after admitting he was an alcoholic and undergoing counselling following a string of off-field incidents.