Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

There is a reason why Aaron Cruden's All Black-ship has already sailed

(Photo by Renee McKay/Getty Images)

Aaron Cruden didn’t end up in France by accident.

His behaviour, for a start, had become an embarrassment and distraction to the Chiefs and All Blacks, never mind the quality of his rugby.

Cruden is a good player and it’s nice that he’s getting a Super Rugby farewell, but let’s not use a game and a half of footy as the basis to re-write history.

Continue reading below…

Video Spacer

The first five-eighth had a poor series against the British and Irish Lions in 2017. Cast in the role of finisher, Cruden’s performances off the bench lacked authority and accuracy and (even worse) took too much ball out of Beauden Barrett’s hands.

If All Blacks coach Steve Hansen had his time again, you suspect he’d have kept Barrett at 10 in those games rather than pushing him out to fullback to accommodate the ineffective Cruden.

Chiefs coach Dave Rennie was one of the all-time Aaron Cruden enthusiasts, dating back to their days in Manawatu. But even he came around to the idea that Damian McKenzie deserved to be the Chiefs’ first-five instead.

So off Cruden went to club football in France where, almost from the very beginning, reports emerged that his body was breaking down and form was ordinary.

Would he come back to New Zealand? Maybe he could reunite with Rennie, now that he’d gone to Scotland? Anywhere but France – where no-one appeared to rate him – sounded like a good option.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B8DEVCIg6jn/

The Kobelco Steelers, in Japan, offered the 31-year-old a superannuation plan, after Montpellier got rid of him early, which has also afforded him a stint back with the Chiefs.

Again, that’s nice. When a team and player have shared some good times, no-one begrudges them wanting to get back together again.

But let’s not forget why Cruden left or pretend he’s played nothing but blinders all his life. Sure, he was handy in the Chiefs’ week two win over the Crusaders but compared to who? The fullback filling in at first five-eighth for the other team?

If Cruden, even at this stage of his career, isn’t a better 10 than David Havili, then he needn’t worry about semi-retirement in Japan. He should give the game away entirely.

What about week one, when Cruden got lucky with a kick or two in the comeback win over the Blues? Overall he was okay, but anyone can look a real game manager when the opposition first-fives are the erratic Stephen Perofeta and Harry Plummer.

The idea that these performances merit Cruden selection in the All Blacks – notwithstanding the inconvenient fact he’s contracted in Japan – is just laughable. I get that we’re all in the hyperbole business and talking points, no matter how absurd, help generate online clicks, but let’s not make fools of ourselves.

The fact that new All Blacks head coach Ian Foster was prepared to entertain the idea, while making a television appearance last week, probably speaks for itself.

Watch: Ian Foster discusses whether Cruden will be considered for the All Blacks

Video Spacer

New Zealand’s best first five-eighth – Beauden Barrett – is yet to play this season, while heir apparent Richie Mo’unga has had a couple of outings. Not fit enough to kick goals, Mo’unga still looked pretty bloody useful as the Crusaders beat the Blues last Friday.

Beyond them, McKenzie will be a pivotal playmaking option for the All Blacks this year, having recovered from knee surgery. On 2018’s Northern Tour, McKenzie was just about New Zealand’s only attacking threat and, barring injury, you imagine he would have played fullback again last year with Barrett at first five-eighth.

With Mo’unga offering an option off the bench, that’s surely all the game-drivers the All Blacks need. If not, then there’s always room for a Jordie Barrett or Havili in the reserves as well.

Quite why Cruden would be required too is a mystery.

That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy his Super Rugby swansong. In all honesty, with he and McKenzie in the mix, and Warren Gatland as head coach, the Chiefs ought to be good enough to win the whole competition.

But that’s enough. There’s no need to add a final All Blacks chapter as well.

Some guys leave New Zealand before their time. They have family or financial issues to consider, or a rival player or unsympathetic coach blocking their way.

Cruden’s not one of those. He’d been given a good crack – 50 tests worth to be exact – without ever quite making the All Blacks’ No.10 jersey his own.

It’s been a good career and he should be proud, but let’s leave it at that.

Former Hurricane Michael Fatialofa makes a massive step towards recovery:

Video Spacer

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

South Africa vs New Zealand | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

Argentina vs Australia | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

Saitama Wildknights vs Tokyo Sungoliath | Japan Rugby League 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

The Game that Made Jonah Lomu

The gruelling reality behind one of the fastest sports in the world | The Report

Boks Office | Episode 40 | The Steven Kitshoff Special

Perry Baker in the house | HSBC Life on Tour | Los Angeles

Confidence knocks and finding your people | Flo Williams | Rugby Rising Locker Room

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

S
Solenn Bonnet 4 days ago
Leinster cleanse palette with record URC scoreline against Zebre

My name is Solenn Bonnet, and I am a single mother navigating the challenges of raising my two-year-old child while trying to make ends meet. I came across a trading platform that promised astonishing daily profits of 18%. The allure of such a high return on investment was too tempting to resist, and I found myself drawn into cryptocurrency trading. Excited by the prospect of financial freedom, I invested a significant amount of my savings, totaling over 5.7 BTC. However, what started as a hopeful venture quickly turned into a nightmare. The platform was a scam, and I lost everything I had invested. The emotional toll of this loss was immense; I felt devastated and helpless, struggling to provide for my child and keep up with my bills. In my desperate attempt to recover my funds, I sought help from various recovery experts. Unfortunately, I encountered numerous fraudulent individuals who claimed they could help me retrieve my lost money. Each time I reached out, I was met with disappointment and further scams, which only deepened my despair. Last year was one of the most challenging periods of my life, filled with anxiety and uncertainty about my financial future. Feeling overwhelmed and at a loss, I confided in a close friend from church about my situation. She listened compassionately and shared her own experiences with financial difficulties. Understanding my plight, she introduced me to Tech Cyber Force Recovery, a group of skilled hackers known for their expertise in recovering lost funds. Skeptical yet hopeful, I decided to reach out to them as a last resort. Their services came at a higher cost, but my friend generously offered to help me with a partial payment. I was amazed by how quickly they responded and began the recovery process. Their team was professional, efficient, and incredibly supportive throughout the entire ordeal. To my relief, they successfully recovered more than I had lost to those heartless scammers. This was truly transformative, and I felt a sense of relief and gratitude that I hadn’t felt in a long time. I strongly encourage anyone who has faced similar challenges or fallen victim to scams to reach out to Tech Cyber Force Recovery. If you’ve invested in a fraudulent platform like I did, they are highly capable of helping you reclaim your hard-earned money. Don’t lose hope; there is a way to recover what you’ve lost.

CONSULT TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY

EMAIL.. support@techyforcecyberretrieval.com

WhatsApp.. +15617263697

website.. https://techyforcecyberretrieval.com

Telegram.. +15617263697

0 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Retiring Care and Youngs leave worthy legacy to emerging England scrum-halves Retiring Care and Youngs leave worthy legacy to emerging England scrum-halves
Search