Cruden unfazed by All Blacks subbing
If Aaron Cruden were a loose cannon he may have issued a twopronged salute when told to take a hike on Sunday morning (NZT).
First five-eighth Cruden, despite slotting all six of his conversion attempts, varying his kicking game, and providing a soothing voice to a revamped backline during the All Blacks’ 68-10 win over Italy at Stadio Olimpico on Sunday morning (NZT), was gone midway through the second half.
Given he has been offered around a million bucks a season from French club Montpellier, and could leave New Zealand after Super Rugby next year, the thought of not appearing in the All Blacks No 10 jersey again on a northern hemisphere tour must make his stomach spin.
But when All Blacks Steve Hansen relayed the message to get Cruden off the field, and replace him with Lima Sopoaga, there was just one option. Exit stage left.
‘‘I was feeling good, but I think the coaches just thought it was a good chance to bring Lima on and give him some minutes, too,’’ Cruden stated.
‘‘Me, with my personality, I would always love to go the full 80 week in and week out. But the way the reserves are able to add impact is always good for us.’’
Beauden Barrett is expected to be recalled to first-five when the All Blacks team to play Ireland in Dublin next Sunday (NZT) is revealed, with Cruden on the bench.
The duo, along with Lima Sopoaga, will no doubt battle to wear the No 10 jersey next year, but at the moment it looks Barrett’s to lose.
All Cruden can do is wait, and mull over that French deal. If he does leave next year, he won’t wear the black jersey in the northern hemisphere again.
Asked if he could have done more against Italy to improve his chances of starting ahead of Barrett, he was uncertain.
‘‘We will have to wait and see. For me, it wasn’t about that. There’s not much better feeling than playing some afternoon footy and getting the sun on your back.
‘‘We will see what happens next week in Ireland.’’
Cruden deflected the accolades for receiving the man of the match award, believing his cross-field kicks to isolate a defender was a result of the All Blacks’ chatting nonstop.
‘‘I was able to shape their defence a little bit and get some good gains out it, but in saying that there were times we kicked the ball away a little aimlessly and it played into the Italians’ hands.’’