All Blacks great Dan Carter to play club rugby for Southbridge on Saturday

He's yet to take the field for the Blues in Super Rugby Aotearoa but All Blacks great Dan Carter will return for a familiar team this weekend.

The new Blues recruit will make the most of the Blues' bye weekend to travel to Canterbury and turn out for his beloved Southbridge club on Saturday.

Carter will pull on the No. 10 jersey at Southbridge Domain against West Melton.

A club spokesperson confirmed Carter's availability for the game on Tuesday evening.

Carter last played for Southbridge in 2014.

His rugby return marks the first major step in his aim to be ready to take on his old team the Crusaders in Christchurch on July 11, in what would be his Blues debut.

Carter, a 112-test dual World Cup-winning All Black, signed on for the Blues earlier this month as injury cover for Stephen Perofeta.

He answered an SOS call from former Crusaders teammate and Blues coach Leon MacDonald.