Honing his goal- kicking can keep playmaker Cruden in selectors’ sights
aybe Dave Rennie’s decision to head away to coach Glasgow later this year should have told us Aaron Cruden would head down the exit path too.
The pair have shared a great deal of rugby experience since Rennie picked a teenage Cruden to make his provincial debut for Manawatu, then the New Zealand under- 20 side before persuading him to switch to the Chiefs in 2012.
Both have been blocked in their ambitions to nail down the top national jobs with Steve Hansen signing on for more work with the All Blacks and Beauden Barrett nailing down the five eighths’ duties.
Others have joined the hunt for that black No 10 jersey with Lima Sopoaga, Jordie Barrett, Damian McKenzie and Richie Mo’unga pushing Cruden hard as well.
Any form stumbles or injury to those playmakers will create frenzied public debate and some busy selection meetings as the Lions tour approaches in June.
Cruden has endured plenty of strain in a decade of first- class rugby with his teenage battle with testicular cancer, injudicious personal decisions then injury curtailing several World Cup campaigns and troubling his last All Black season.
He knows what it takes to make it through the pain and relentless rehab back to the top, he has the experience of 47 tests to back his rugby instincts if he gets the chance.
The All Black selectors will want Cruden to be at his best throughout the Super Rugby series to put the heat on Barrett for the black No 10 jersey. As the tournament gets to May they’ll be looking for a climb in performances from all their top players and in particular, goal- kicking success from their five eighths.
Neither Cruden nor Barrett has been as consistent from the tee as others working the international circuit and those likely to be chosen for the Lions.
Owen Farrell has been deadly for England for some time, Greig Laidlaw, Dan Biggar and Leigh Halfpenny equally so if in the squad.
When Cruden is playing well most of his game looks natural. The way he takes the ball to the line, pops passes out of tight situations, backs up his teammates, dabs some tantalising short kicks, even dealing with the rising defensive demands down his channel has a flowing edge.
It’s not quite the same when he plonks the ball on the tee for a shot at goal. Some of the oil leaves his right piston during that minute or so and there is a splutter compared to the rest of his game.
Smoothing out that glitch and lifting his percentage success from a range of angles, distance and in difficult conditions will boost Cruden’s confidence and put the bite on the All Black selectors. American Dominic Bozzelli, in only his sixth PGA Tour start, holed out from 113 yards to eagle the par- four 14th en route to a one- shot lead after the opening round of the CareerBuilder Challenge in La Quinta, California. TV commentator and former tennis pro Doug Adler has been dropped from coverage of the Australian Open and has apologised for how he spoke about Venus Williams’ play in the second round, saying he was describing her aggressive style as “guerrilla” tactics and not comparing her with a “gorilla”. The NRL’s probe into allegations of misbehaviour against James Roberts have been complicated by a Gold Coast nightclub refusing to hand over video footage. The league’s integrity unit is looking into claims the Brisbane star forcefully pulled a woman’s hair at the Love Nightlife nightclub early last Sunday morning. English rugby side Sale Sharks have sacked winger Tom Arscott after he allegedly leaked information to Premiership rivals Bristol. Arscott, 29, had been suspended by the club since January 4, three days after Bristol beat Sale 24- 23. Bristol said earlier this week that Arscott met his brother Luke — a Bristol player — at the team hotel on New Year’s Eve. But the west country club insist that “nothing of any sporting value” was passed on to coaching staff and that they were “entirely confident we have not acted in a way that is against the spirit and values of rugby”. India won a thrilling second one- day cricket international and the series only after running out England captain Eoin Morgan in the penultimate over at Cuttack yesterday. Yuvraj Singh ( 150) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni ( 134) combined in a 256- run partnership to give India a whopping 381- 6 total. But England wasn’t intimidated chasing, and were giving India a scare until Morgan, soon after making his ninth ODI century off 80 balls, was run out backing up too far with nine balls to go. With 22 needed off the last over, England scored only six, India won by 15 runs and secured the series before the last match tomorrow in Kolkata.