Aaron Cruden out of World Cup

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/67896297/all-blacks-firstfive-aaron-cruden-to-miss-the-rugby-world-cup-with-serious-knee-injury

Knee

First five curse is kicking in early by the looks. Guttered for Cruden. Will be interested to see how McKenzie goes for the Chiefs assuming he'll take over. Could literally be the next Cruden. So Barrett, Slade, DC and Steven Donald are our options. Should be ok but if Barrett goes down then I may get a little anxious.

Devastating for that young man and an arse smacking sense of deja vu for Kiwis everywhere.

Barrett, Slade and DC are a good trio for the WC squad but it would be astonishing if Donald Duck was anywhere near an All Black's shirt ever again. Nick Evans would be a far better option.

Yeah, Beaver was just for a giggle but you never know. Sopoaga is probably the next cab after Slade, he's playing well. He may even be a better shout than DC given DC's so prone to injury. DC's lost his edge and even his goal kicking has been marginal.

Gutted for Cruden, but this sort of news would have concerned me up to 4 years ago. After 2011, we kind of expect this. I know the next cab off the rank will do the job required. The theory that you need to have a great flyhalf to win a WC is nonsense. It helps, but we won it with a skateboarding Cruden and a whitebaiting Donald. SA won it with Butch James for goodness sake.

You should probably discount DC too given his injury record, poor guy.

I would think the absence of Cruden would improve the All Black's options for stand off. I always rated Beauden Barrett, I think is pretty special player.

Donald on Standby, to win it again!

I'm sure Carlos Spencer would answer the call too.

Andrew Mertens would be a better call than Carlos Spencer, or Donald.

I've got a feeling DC's form rather than injury will be his main issue. Cruden's a big loss as his combo with SBW is a huge asset but that may not be Hansen's number one choice.

This crap will happen to most if not every team. I have faith in our ability to cover pretty much every base. Still doesn't mean we'll win the World Cup though. That drives me mental.

I am a little confused on one point Nz are talking about a 31 man squad,but England
are naming 32.Am I missing something usual format being 2 of everything plus an extra
hooker /scrum half.
Carter was not expected to make the RWC by most people,and the rotation policy adopted
to protect players has certainly hurt the Crusaders this year.
It has certainly settled one weakness a reliable goal kicker,logic would add Tom Taylor
as his replacement a proven 10/utilty /goal kicker.

Not Tom Taylor Emack, Lima Sopoaga deserves his chance. He's kicking over 80% and is creating a lot of chances for his team at the moment.

Plus he's from Wellington...so I'd rather him over three Cantabrians chucking in their lot for the €

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:I would think the absence of Cruden would improve the All Black's options for stand off. I always rated Beauden Barrett, I think is pretty special player.

Cruden has never lost a test when he has started at 10 for 23 wins and a draw at 94%. How much can that be improved? Is there a 10 at any time with a better %?

The last two tests the ABs have lost were when Carter (England in 2012), and Barrett started...last year in Ellis Park when Barrett failed to set the backline running, and allowed Pollard to score through his zone twice.

Barrett is not a starting 10 at the highest level. He's a super sub and that's where he belongs.

Alan Tom taylors just not in the reckoning. He doesn't have the game at 10. Hansens not going near him. Sopo'aga, with his partnership with Aaron Smith and his form, ability to set a backline going and run the line himself is a likely better prospect, and has Hansen has approached him.
But I think Slade will be the current favourite.