Well dumbarse Redsman should be happy - the Aussies now only have to face Aaron Cruden .
What a shame that will be.
And we all know how terrible he's been playing for the Chiefs. LMAO
Looks like a calf strain. Put your feet up DC mate as that 10 jersey is in very good hands.
Chiefs first five-eighth and Investec Super Rugby winner Aaron Cruden will start at ten for the All Blacks in the Bledisloe Cup opener in Sydney after Dan Carter was ruled out with a calf injury.
The 95-Test All Black, who missed the opening of the Steinlager Series against France with a hand injury, had tightness in his calf during training today.
Further investigation revealed a calf strain, which will rule Carter out, at the minimum, of the World Cup holders opening two-Tests of The Rugby Championship.
A calf strain usually takes a month to fully clear.
The All Blacks are well served at first five-eighth however, with Cruden far from an understudy with another stellar season with the Chiefs, while Hurricanes playmaker Beauden Barrett will likely now be named on the bench.
All Blacks selectors Steve Hansen, Ian Foster and Grant Fox will name their side on Thursday.
Carter last week confirmed he will miss the first half of the 2014 rugby season.
bugger eh ? oh well second best in the world will do ! being second to DC aint no shame either !After the RWC I feel alot better about no DC in the team and it will hold us in good stead for 2015 to give Cruden a run .
its good that we have cruden, as mentioned in the article, hes far from an understudy and IMO the 2nd best flyhalf in the world.
carter was out of two RC/4nat matches last year, the first puma and Bok tests and he filled in the positions nicely.
TBH i would like to see carter get his calf completely right, so maybe let cruden start the first three tests???
Carters injuries are more nigly injuries than severe ones, but his body is starting to show the wear and tear of playing the game for such a long time.
It is probably good to given Cruden an extended run this year.
He has been good at test level but not to the same level of SuperXV yet, especially against the Wallabies and the Boks.
He needs to have the experience of losing a test and also winning a close one to be ready for the worldcup.
Dan Carter will make the tournament epecially with a sabatical next year, but the All Blacks need to go into a test with the quality Cruden having experience playing in a losing team and a team that can come back from behind.
AC or DC - The ABs still have the power.
Kiwi's the fact that "Cruden is no2 in the world" is just your opinion. He has a long way to go before you can put him that high up. Why dont you just make Beauden "I have all the skills in the world except the ability to tackle" Barrett number 3 in "your" worlds. I used to be pro Barrett to replace Cruden but I have only this year noticed how weak he is on defence. He gets bumped off way too much. A head on tackle with a guy like Albert or Etzebeth and Barrett will be on the deck 10 times out of 10 whereas Cruden might make 6 out of 10 and Carter 9 out of 10.
Matt Toomua and Christian Lealifano are better 10's than Cruden. They will prove this. I hav no doubt. AB's are not half the team they are with Cruden at 10 as opposed t Carter Cruden is a Wynand Olivier. Brilliant at Super rugby level. No impact at test level. What has Cruden shown to date at test level. Gives away easy metres on defence that Lealifano and Toomua dont. Its a much different game at Super rugby level compared toTest. Ask Nonu..He will tell you. AB's can just be fortunate that his best comes at Test level. SA however, does not have a 10 as good as any of the above mentioned but I think Cruden is far from no2 at this point. Skills and flair with the ball is not everything.
Ah go back to sleep Boklogic.
Fancy a yarpy rating the Aussie number 10s above his own countrymen. oh dear me.
What is that you're trying to tell us about this years Boks ?
@boklogic,
im not surprised u only just notcied barrets defensive issues, as i mentioned many times beofre u dont know much about anything related to NZ rugby.
barrets defensive issues have been somethin mentioned many many times in kiwi circles both in the media and pro kiwi forums.
why would anyone say barret is the No3 flyhalf in the world??? thats just stupid, but while it is just an opinion, its not an unresonable statment to say cruden is the No2 flyhalf in the world, especially as spXV is widely regarded as the No1 club comp and of all the international flyhalves, who has really been better??? one trick kick pony morne??? worst flyahlaf defender cooper??? badly out of form lambie??? 2 games per season goosen??? zero test cap toomua??? leilafnao zero games at 10 in 2013???
ive got no problems saying cruden is the 2nd best flyhalf in the world, cos IMO he is.
All Black coach Steven Hansen has no doubt Aaron Cruden will once again perform in the absence of Dan Carter, who has been ruled out of Saturday's Bledisloe Cup opener against Australia with a calf injury.
Team doctors predict Carter will be out of action for up to four weeks, meaning he will also miss the second Bledisloe Cup Test in Wellington.
It's not the first time in recent years that the All Blacks have had to do without Carter for key matches. He missed the final stages of the World Cup after tearing his groin and also missed games last year with a calf problem and sat out two Tests against the French in June with a broken hand.
Cruden will pull on the No.10 jersey against the Wallabies in Sydney with Beauden Barrett the back-up.
"We've been here before and [Carter] will go away and work on what he's got to do and Aaron and Beauden will step into the breach and do what they have to do," said Hansen.
"We are really fortunate that we've got more than one world-class five-eighth. Aaron has been on top of his game all season. He's just gone through two major matches with a lot of intensity and pressure.
"He's ready to rumble. He's also played a couple of tests this year and understand what we're trying to do. He's part of the leadership group so it's business as usual."
Carter announced last week that he would be taking a sabbatical from next year's Super Rugby competition and Hansen said this latest injury was proof the 31 year old needed the time away from rugby.
"It's frustrating and a little concerning for him and just reiterates why he needs to have this extended break so he can get all the niggles dead right so he can come back and play on a consistent basis," said Hansen.
But the All Blacks coach was confident there was no need to bring the sabbatical forward.
"I don't think we need to be too keen on getting rid of him. We'll see how he goes over this period," he said.
"The scans show it's not a biggie. It's something that's a nuisance more than anything else.
"The length of time is because it's a recurrence and you don't want it to recur because then it becomes a major problem.
"We'll deal with and get on with it and hopefully he'll be back later on in the competition."
Carter was also frustrated by his latest setback. "The thing is I've had injuries like this before so I know what I have to do to get back out playing and playing as well as I know I can," he said.
"It's the first time I've had a calf injury this year. It's important that I just do the rehab so it's not an ongoing thing for the rest of the year."
no need to assure us of crudens credentials shag, all kiwis are stoked to have the best 2nd best flyhalf in the world in our corner, just like theres no need to assure us that the RC/4nats aint going no where, :o)
@mikey,
each to their own i guess, but cruden in 2012 was prob the best flyhalf in the world IMO, a stellar spXV season backed up by soild performances in the black jersey.
had issues to deal with in 2013, but in large another successful season.
dont be too quick to rule out morne, the Boksare playing the pumas after all. so he will be sure to get a decent amount of points.
i was already trying to decide between carter and morne, carter being the bees nees and the pumas being of lesser quality, cos the level of opponent is a factor.
i still expect the All Blacks to beat the wallabies, but it wont all be one way traffic.
Second best in the world, huh???
Who … ??? Cruden … ???
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!
That’s a laugh!!!!
He’s average at best. Barely makes it as a test flyhalf.
Big blow for AB's. Cruden a significant step down defensively and as the primary kicker. His super rugby finals jitters should be concerning for nz fans. Looks like Carter will be back for the Bok games though.
Rugby championship just got a little more interesting!
You Kiwi's can say what you want but Cruden is not 2nd best pivot in the world. Not by a long way. That is all in you heads. Hell, in your heads Barrett is 3rd, Noakes is 4th, Slade is 5th. You guys have the best 5 players in the world in each position dont you? You guys produce top rugby quality in the world all round...If only you could do the same with your refs now.
Cruden has a lot more proving to do until you can make that statement. Cruden would not be considered for a world team at present. Carter is leagues above Cruden. Cruden's defence is also up to shit most of the time. He gives away easy metres in the hit. He option taking is nowhere near that of Carter. His goal kicking is hit and miss.
Toomua in terms of all round ability is much better. He has all the skills Cruden does and is a brilliant defender. Lealifano doesn't even need to play 10 and we know he is better. He has proven that already. I dont have to say anyone from SA is better because we do not possess a great flyhalf at the moment but I will tell you that Cruden is not 2nd best in the world. Thats in your head.
The northern hemisphere will tell you their comps are harder, the Southern will tell you theirs are. Their is no bigger stage than the International stage and Cruden has not achieved even 5% of what Dan Carter has. Cruden may as well link up with Wynand Olivier and have a chat. Wynand was year in and year out, hands down the best 12 in the comp. Thats why Bulls were so dominant in that era but put a green and gold jersey on him and he couldn't do shit. Much like Cruden. The step up is a little greater than them right now. They are loose players and can get away with it is Super rugby. International is a lot tighter and mistakes much more costly to which Cruden still makes many and takes many more ridiculous options that Dan wouldn't. Thats what makes Dan so good. His ability to adapt between the two. Some guys have it, some dont and thats why we have legends of the game and rank run of the millers.
Maybe when Carter is out of the picture and Cruden can relax in the knowledge that he owns the jersey as long as he puts in the work needed he can come into his own (Same with Wynand always knowing he was a fill in for Jean or Jacque) but until then, he is not 2nd best in the world.
I have to agree with you Boklogic in that....
Cruden is not second best .
Happy now?
i agree, cruden is the 2nd best flyahlf in the world, :o)
