Former All Black Dan Carter is reportedly set for a return to the international stage, with a potential outing for the Barbarians against England.
According to The Rugby Paper in England, the 35-year-old has been asked to turn out for the famous club in the match against Eddie Jones' Six Nations champions on May 29 (NZ time) at Twickenham - venue of his international farewell, where he kicked 19 points for the All Blacks in their World Cup triumph over the Wallabies.
According to the report, a Barbarians source was confident Carter would accept the invitation to play.
The news comes as Carter played an influential, though ultimately unsuccessful hand, for his French club Racing 92, on Monday morning (NZ time).
Carter kicked 13 points but had to be content with a losing bonus point, as his side lost 27-23 in a fiery Top 14 clash against hosts Stade Francais in Paris.
Two players were red-carded as Stade kept their playoff hopes alive, in a clash between two clubs who had appeared on course for a merger earlier in the season.
The proposed joining of forces was called off following a backlash from players and fans, and in this contest there was certainly no love lost, with Pascal Pape (Stade) and Wenceslas Lauret (Racing) sent off for throwing punches shortly before halftime.
Pape, 36, in what was probably his last match at the Stade Jean-Bouin after 10 years in the first team, received a standing ovation from the bench as he walked off.
Stade ran in three tries to Racing's two but a penalty by Carter 10 minutes from time allowed the visitors to take home a losing bonus point.
Defending champions racing remain in the sixth and final playoff spot with 58 points, just ahead of Stade, also with 58, with one weekend of the regular season left.
After Italian international Sergio Parisse scored a runaway intercept try from a misfired Carter ball, former All Black Casey Laulala was able to respond on the stroke of halftime, and the teams went to the break locked at 13-13.
Stade stormed into a 27-13 lead after two tries in the space of four minutes early in the second half from winger Djibril Camara and centre Jonathan Danty, who out sprinted Joe Rokocoko to touch down his own kick ahead.
Racing, who also had Kiwis in the pack in the form of No 8 Chris Masoe and prop Ben Tameifuna, cut the deficit with a 62nd minute try to the latter, which Carter converted.
Carter then added a 70th minute penalty which ensured his side went away with a point.
Meanwhile, another former All Black - Victor Vito - crossed for a brace of tries as leaders La Rochelle withstood a fighting comeback from Montpellier to guarantee they finish first in the regular season, with a 40-37 win.
Former Crusaders winger Nemani Nadolo had a try for Montpellier ruled out by the TMO with time up, in a nail-biting finish, after the hosts who had Jason Eaton come off the bench, were up 40-16 after 64 minutes.
La Rochelle sits on 84 points, with Montpellier in third on 72, two behind Clermont, who occupy the second automatic semifinal spot.
Photo By: HENRY BROWNE/REUTERS (Dan Carter collected 13 points for Racing 92 but it wasn't enough for his side to beat Stade Francais in a fiery Top 14 clash).