All Blacks: Cruden ticks all the boxes for selectors

Aaron Cruden. Photo / Getty Images

Cancer survivor Aaron Cruden has been picked for an intensive All Black education as the selectors sift more exciting talent in the slow-burning buildup towards the next World Cup.

The 21-year-old Manawatu pivot has been identified as the deputy for backline general Dan Carter while other new caps announced yesterday in the squad are loose forward Victor Vito, fullback Israel Dagg and midfielder Benson Stanley.

"Selection is a complex beast," assistant coach Wayne Smith said of Cruden's five-eighths credentials. "You have to look at talent which he has got, and character which he has got in spades. You look at this position for someone who can run the game and he has got mana amongst the team.

"So, he ticks all those boxes."

It has been 15 years since Manawatu celebrated an All Black selection. Christian Cullen was picked as a 20-year-old for his debut then, while previous test five-eighths from the province were Doug Rollerson and Bob Burgess.

Crusaders prop Ben Franks makes the squad for the third year, alongside younger brother Owen, and will be hoping to claim a test cap to go with his solitary All Black appearance against Munster in 2008.

Rookie tight forward Sam Whitelock will assemble with the group as cover for lock Tom Donnelly, who is returning from injury which removed him from the last two months of the Super 14.

The heartiest public debate about the rest of the squad will settle on the merits of halfback Piri Weepu, the return of experienced wing Joe Rokocoko and burly hooker Aled de Malmanche. That trio made the cut as a combination of their performances and a rising injury toll bit into the All Black selectors' choices.

However, it was the promotion of the latest All Black quartet and discussions about their test match calibre which collected most of the attention when the squad was revealed at a function yesterday at Mt Albert Grammar.

Cruden was treated for testicular cancer as a teenager in 2008 and then led New Zealand to the global under-20s title last season before being prominent for Manawatu in the national championship. Those efforts earned him a Hurricanes contract this season.

His elevation to the All Blacks yesterday came with a cautionary note from Smith.

It was appropriate Cruden was exposed to the All Black environment now, Smith said, but it might take him time to settle as Matt Giteau experienced when he was thrown into his Wallaby test debut as a substitute against England in 2002.

However, Cruden was part of the new vision for the All Blacks. He liked to play flat, he was sharp against tiring defences and would learn a great deal from being around Carter.

"My gut feeling is he will come up to the mark," said Smith.

"Last year, we set out changing the game and we swam against the current for a large part of the year but we were trying to change habits and I think by the time we got to the French test [39-12 win in Marseilles], things were starting to come through.

"There was a will and desire to attack in the team and I think the new players we have picked this year, reflect that. We have to keep developing our game and the law interpretations suit that."

The approaching World Cup meant new talent had to be examined.

Former sevens drawcard Vito showed his maturing class and explosive talents through much of his second season of Super rugby. All Black coach Graham Henry said the law and classics student could play either blindside or No 8 and was also a strong lineout choice while Stanley had tremendous respect from his peers.

He tore his hamstring badly in the first game of Super 14 last season but returned to captain Auckland in the national championship and was the most consistent player for the Blues this season.

"He is very composed, mature, has a good pass and strong left foot, is a strong defender and has an upside on attack," Smith noted.

Weepu was a proven performer, who had bailed the All Blacks out of some tough spots. He had a great deal of test experience and played the style of game the selectors wanted.

"He has got to get fitter. He has been working on that for the last five weeks and is in the best nick I have seen him for a while so he is on the right track. We know he is up to it and gets first crack."

It was a tough decision. Alby Mathewson, Andy Ellis latterly and Kahn Fotuali'i before him, had played strongly and it was probably the toughest choice for the panel.

Players not considered for this selection because of injury included Mike Delany, Stephen Donald, Jason Eaton, Andrew Hore, Ma'a Nonu, Sitiveni Sivivatu and Ali Williams.

ALL BLACKS SQUAD

Anthony Boric (North Harbour), Dan Carter (Canterbury), Jimmy Cowan (Southland), Aaron Cruden (Manawatu), Israel Dagg (Hawke's Bay), Aled de Malmanche (Waikato), Tom Donnelly (Otago), Ben Franks (Tasman), Owen Franks (Canterbury), Zac Guildford (Hawke's Bay), Cory Jane (Wellington), Richard Kahui (Waikato), Jerome Kaino (Auckland), Richie McCaw (Canterbury, captain), Keven Mealamu (Auckland), Mils Muliaina (Waikato), Joe Rokocoko (Auckland), Kieran Read (Canterbury), Conrad Smith (Wellington), Benson Stanley (Auckland), Adam Thomson (Otago), Brad Thorn (Canterbury), Neemia Tialata (Wellington), Victor Vito (Wellington), Piri Weepu (Wellington), Tony Woodcock (North Harbour).