All Blacks flyhalf Aaron Cruden is to make his Super Rugby comeback for the Waikato Chiefs from the bench tomorrow after suffering an unsettling neck injury during the second Test against Wales.
Cruden, who was not considered for the third Test in Dunedin, New Zealand, on Saturday, has been named among the replacements for the Chiefs (42 points) for their clash with the table-topping Canterbury Crusaders (45) in Suva, Fiji.
Former All Blacks flyhalf Stephen Donald, who led an understrength Chiefs side to a 40-7 thrashing of Wales’ midweek team on their tour of New Zealand, is to start the game instead.
Photo: AFP
Cruden was taken to hospital following a tackle by Wales’ Luke Charteris in Wellington, where the lock rolled over the top of him and caused the flyhalf’s neck to “crack.”
He was cleared of serious injury, but All Blacks coach Steve Hansen chose not to risk him for the third game in Dunedin, with Beauden Barrett starting instead.
Cruden’s fellow All Blacks Brodie Retallick, Sam Cane, Seta Tamanivalu and Damian McKenzie are all to start the game, with Nathan Harris and Tawera Kerr-Barlow also on the bench.
McKenzie was the only player not used by Hansen in the series sweep of Wales, with Cane and Retallick playing for significant periods of all three games in Auckland, New Zealand, Wellington and Dunedin.
Charlie Ngatai, the eighth Chiefs player named in the All Blacks squad, missed the entire series due to lingering concussion symptoms. He was not considered by coach Dave Rennie for tomorrow’s game.
Chiefs hooker Hikawera Elliott is to make his 100th Super Rugby appearance for the side. He also played one season for the Wellington Hurricanes.
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