Boozin’ Cruden’s bad miss
Axed and ‘deeply embarrassed’ All Black may face further penalty
Shamed All Black Aaron Cruden could face further punishment after a boozy night out in Auckland saw him miss an airport check-in and the tour to Argentina and South Africa.
The five-eighth was absent when the All Blacks assembled to leave their airport hotel for South America on Sunday morning.
Cruden has been stood down for the rest of the Rugby Championship and may also face internal disciplinary charges and a fine.
Yesterday, while offering no excuses, he issued a statement saying it was unacceptable to miss the assembly and the flight to Santiago.
“I am deeply embarrassed by this lack of judgment and have never been more dis- appointed in myself. I have not only let myself down but, most importantly, I have let my team down.
“I carry the burden of shame and disappointment and I am deeply apologetic to my team, to my family and also the New Zealand public.
“I have been working really hard over the past few years at gaining the respect on the field as well as off the field and am devastated I have dropped my own high personal standards, as well as the standards set by New Zealand Rugby.
“I accept full responsibility for my actions and the penalty of missing the next two games, and will work with New Zealand Rugby to undertake any other disciplinary
action to work through this situation.”
Cruden and other All Blacks went to the Zookeeper’s Son at Royal Oak on Saturday after their earlier flight to South America was delayed because of mechanical issues.
Bar owner Dave Catchpole said the group arrived about 8pm. “It was really just a relaxed dining night out. They sat in front of the fire for about four hours, ordered fish and chips, burgers and the big Canterbury roast.
“They had no more than two or three beers each, so it was a very ordinary night.
“They played a bit of pool, didn’t get hassled much and posed for a few photos ... ”
Mr Catchpole was not at the bar, but said he’d spoken to his managers. They said none of the All Blacks seemed intoxicated.
Their tab came to “close to $600, or about $80 a head”, before they left in two or three groups about the same time.
Cruden, 25, eventually made his way to the Little Easy bar in Ponsonby rather than to the Airport Novotel, where the team were staying.
It is understood he also went to the Long Room on Ponsonby Rd.
Yesterday, Cruden did not answer questions when the Herald approached him at his Hamilton home. His agent, Bruce Sharrock, instead said he was “having a debrief”.
Under the terms of the players’ collective contract, Cruden’s failure to make the flight means he is guilty of misconduct.
He is likely to miss out on thousands of dollars in weekly player fees paid when the All Blacks are in camp.
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said the team hadn’t been subject to a
I guess we all make mistakes and, like our children, we love our children, but sometimes we don’t like their behaviour.
Steve Hansen, All Blacks coach
curfew on Saturday night but Cruden was out drinking and “didn’t get there on time” to catch the flight.
“He understands there has to be a consequence for his actions. Once we get this out of the way, he’ll be coming back into the group when we go to Brisbane [for the third Bledisloe Cup test],” he said from Argentina.
“It’s certainly out of character and he’s disappointed, as are we. It’s not what we stand for and it’s not what he stands for.
“I guess we all make mistakes and, like our children, we love our chil- dren, but sometimes we don’t like their behaviour.
“The team is well aware that when we don’t get it right there is a consequence and he’s paid the price for that,” Hansen said.
New Zealand Rugby chief executive Steve Tew backed Hansen’s call to leave Cruden in New Zealand.
“He [Cruden] is obviously deeply disappointed and accepting of the consequences. He is disappointed he made a poor decision.”
Aaron Cruden has just given a hefty leg-up to Beauden Barrett in the tight battle for the All Blacks No 10 jersey. The 25-year-old All Blacks, Chiefs and Manawatu pivot was yesterday withdrawn from the tour of Argentina and South Africa after a late-night drinking session on Saturday in Auckland resulted in him missing the team’s Sunday flight to South America.
Cruden was back at his Hamilton home yesterday and said he was ‘‘deeply embarrassed" by his lack of judgment.
The All Blacks have a relatively low number of incidents such as these, especially in more recent times, and particularly when in camp.
There is a strong current of personal responsibility within the side, but questions must be asked as to how Cruden actually missed the flight, given that players, except captain Richie McCaw, room together.
Their flight was cancelled on Saturday, so they had to fly out a day later. It is understood that some players then visited family while others went to the movies and a group of eight, including Cruden, dined and drank at the Zookeeper’s Son bar in Royal Oak. The other seven at the bar, Aaron Smith, Kieran Read, Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Conrad Smith, Wyatt Crockett and Sam Cane, all made it on to the flight.
Canterbury’s Tom Taylor was named as Cruden’s replacement. He can cover at least three positions, but will be behind Colin Slade in the pecking order.
Taylor had a solid game against Counties Manukau in Pukekohe last Friday night, but has gone backwards from 2013, where he played three tests. In fairness, there were not many ready-made options at coach Steve Hansen’s disposal in the first-five position, with Dan Carter to be reintegrated back into rugby slowly via the ITM Cup.
New Zealand Rugby chief executive Steve Tew backed team management’s decision to axe Cruden from the Rugby Championship tour.
“That’s a decision I support completely. We are disappointed as we have high standards for this team,” said Tew.
“He’s obviously deeply disappointed and accepting of the consequences. He is disappointed he made a poor decision . . . an incident like this with Aaron Cruden is very out of character. We’ve treated it on its merits.”
Tew expected there would be a stern reminder from management of the responsibilities surrounding the team.
“I would envisage there are some pretty honest conversations taking place in Argentina right now.”
He hinted of the possibility of further and/or formal misconduct proceedings against Cruden, but it seems Hansen will not be penalising Cruden once the All Blacks are back from South Africa.
“Once we get this out of the way, he’ll be coming back into the group when we go to Brisbane,” Hansen said from Argentina.
“It’s certainly out of character and he’s disappointed, as are we. It’s not what we stand for and it’s not what he stands for.
‘‘I guess we all make mistakes and like our children, we love our children, but sometimes we don’t like their behaviour.
“The team is well aware that when we don’t get it right there is a consequence and he’s paid the price for that,” Hansen added.
“As silly as it might sound, the adversity created by one of the players having a mistake, in this case Cruden, usually brings the group tighter and focuses really well. We’ve talked, we’ve now put it behind us and we’re getting on with it.”
We await the All Blacks’ response, and in particular the Barrett response, in Sunday’s test against the Pumas in La Plata. Barrett set the backline alight in the Napier test against the Pumas, only to lose his spot to Cruden, who was returning from a chest injury, for the Springboks test in Wellington, partly on goalkicking grounds.
It has been an up-and-down year for Cruden, who battled a broken thumb during Super Rugby, which left him underdone for the June tests. He did not hit the high notes in Wellington, other than his cross-kick for the Kieran Read try.
Now he has given a sucker an even
break, and knows Carter will be back in the red and black of Canterbury this Sunday against Southland, with a view to playing at least two ITM Cup games before the Brisbane test.
There is a further issue for Cruden, who may want to play an ITM Cup game or two for Manawatu. He now lives in Hamilton. Ironically, Mana- watu travel to Hamilton to play Waikato on Saturday. Coach Jason O’Halloran, who is getting top value out of two young, talented first fives in Otere Black and Jade Te Rure for the Championship leaders, would welcome Cruden but certainly wasn’t expecting him to front.
“Steve Hansen was specific in say- ing it was Aaron’s call about whether he played any ITM Cup,” O’Halloran told the Herald. “Next week would be a better fit for us, at home to [Ranfurly Shield holders] Hawkes Bay.”
It is the first time since Aaron Smith was dropped to the bench in 2012 that an All Black in camp has made such a public misdemeanour.